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OF  THE 
UNIVERSITY 


EARLY  GLEANINGS 


AND 


RANDOM  RECOLLECTIONS 


OF    THE 


TOWN  OF  CORINTH 


MAINE, 


FROM    1792   TO    1883. 


MASON    S.  PALMER. 


BANGOR  : 

PRESS  OF  B.  A.  BURR,  (WHIG  AND   COURIER  JOB  OFFICE.) 

1883. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2008  with  funding  from 

Microsoft  Corporation 


http://www.archive.org/details/earlygleaningsraOOpalmrich 


EARLY  GLEANINGS 


AND 


RANDOM  RECOLLECTIONS 


OF    THE 


TOWN  OF  CORINTH 


MAINE, 
FROM   1792  TO    1883. 


MASON    S.  PALMER. 


BANGOR : 

PRESS  OF  B.  A.  BURR,  (WHIG  AND   COUttlER  JOB  OFFICE.) 

1883. 


/ 


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FcZ9 


Um  eiEMIIGS  11  RMIli  Moimim 

OF   THE 

TOWN    OF    CORINTH,    MAINE. 


In  the  early  ages  of  mankind,  the  products  of  the  earth  were  spon- 
taneous; man  had  httle  to  do.  but  eat,  drink,  and  be  happy.  If  our 
associations  are  reliable,  the  life  of  our  race  began  in  a  climate  producing 
all  tliat  was  needful  for  animal  sustenance  without  man's  care.  Yet,  in 
that  position,  man  never  rose, — he  lived  in  a  barbarous  state,  browsing 
in  the  primitive  pastures  of  animal  life. — Much  like  the  animal  he  lived 
and  slept;  and  sleeping,  sometimes  dreaming;  ''but  he  awaketh,  and 
his  soul  is  empty;  he  is  faint,  and  his  soul  hath  appetite." 

Then  began  the  original  purposes  of  man's  nature ;  then  commenced 
the  stir  of  Inuuan  faculties.  The  breadth  of  his  nature  began  to  work; 
— he  feels  the  stir  of  impassioned  endeavor;— he  begins  to  think — to 
philosophize — he  sees  grand  fields  of  opportunity,  and  hears  the  command, 
"till  those  acres,''  and  soon  perceives  that  by  applying  his  own  intelli- 
gence Lo  his  work,  he  improves  himself.  Thus  the  earth  became  the 
educator  of  her  children.  This  wonderful  earth  was  made  for  the  accom- 
modation of  our  race,  not  only  for  man's  outward  growth,  exhibition, 
exposure,  out-of-door  contact,  but  the  interior  life,  looking  eternity- 
wise. 

Every  child  born  into  the  world  is  fed  spontaneously  at  first.  But 
this  is  not  to  be  through  life;  growing  ciiildren  soon  arrive  at  manhood, 
and  are  commanded  to  toil  and  earn  a  living.  The  ages  move  on,  and 
a  grand  progressive  work  comes  upon  the  stage  of  life.  In  our  world's 
schools  there  are  no  vacations,  her  doors  are  never  closed,  and  her 
scliools  are  being  kept  forever,  each  generation  only  steps  up  to  a 
higher  class. 

In  this  world's  school  our  early  settlers  first  learned  their  lessons — 
and  learned  them  well,  enabling  them  to  go  out  into  the  broad,  active 
world,  with  an  outfit  of  powers  furnished  by  their  Maker,  and  soon  be- 
came enthusiastic  workers — with  manlj^  courage  our  fathers  sought  the 
forest,  flinging  wide  open  their  doors,  that  health  might  enter  at  morn, 
meridian,  evening  and  midnight,  giving  her  such  welcome  that  she  for- 
got the  home  of  city  life,  and  became  the  sojourner  of  the  wilds  of  our 
forests.  Here  all  were  lovers  and  worshipers;  and  that  they  might 
love  all  things  wisely,  they  gave  to  all  things  the  pure,  deep  joy  of  their 
intercommunion  with  nature. 

In  our  Kandom  Recollections,  we  go  back  to  the  earlj'-  and  fresh  days 
of  young  life,  the  springtide  of  our  Township's  joyous  existence — as  we 
saw  it  in  its  struggling  infancy,  so  with  memory's  eye  we  see  it  to-day, 
joyous  and  happy.    It  is  not  through  the  dim  and  dull  eyes  of  feeble 


iViIsS 


5499 


,ao:e  we  are  to  look  at  events  in  the  past,  but  with  clear  vision  examine 
all  matters,  as  life  itself,  at  life's  earliest  remembered  periods,  and  thns 
we  enjoy  today,  the  snnshine  of  all  past  yesterdays— our  brief  liistory 
will  thus  be  elondless. — if  storms  must  come,  let  them  be  hereafter. 

The  glorious  sun  is  hailed  with  the  greatest  raptnreat  his  rising.  Yet 
the  jaundiced  eye  of  a  diseased  soul,  after  long  gazing  npon  the  splen- 
dors of  our  world,  dulls  in  its  vision,  and  the  heart  exclaims.  **A11  is 
vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit." 

The  town  of  Corinth  is  sitnated  in  the  County  of  Penobscot.  State  of 
Maine,  in  latitnde  foi'ty-tive  degrees  (45°)  north ;  longitude,  seven  de- 
grees, fifty-eight  niinutes  (7°  58')  east  from  Washington,  or  sixty-nine 
degrees  two  minutes  (69°  2')  west  from  Greenwich;  and  is  seventeen 
and  one  fourth  (17i)  miles  in  a  North  West  direction  from  the  County 
Court  House  in  Bangor  in  a  direct  line  to  the  center  of  the  town  of 
Corinth,  ai.d  eighteen  and  one  half  (18i)  miles  by  the  traveled  road  to 
the  Town  Hall;  and  is  sixty-five  (65)  miles  in  a  direct  line  North  East 
from  the  State  House  in  Angnsta. 

The  tovvri  is  six  miles  square,  containing  23.040  acres,  and  is  bonnded 
on  the  North  by  Charleston,  East  by  Hndson.  West  by  Exeter,  South  by 
TiCvant;  and  is  the  186th  town  within  the  District  of  Maine,  and  was 
located  as  a  township  by  a  survey  of  its  exterior  lines  in  the  year  1792. 
and  known  as  township  No  2,  in  the  fourth  range  of  townships  north  of 
the  Waldo  Patent,  and  one  of  tht;  21  townships  surveyed  by  Ephraim 
Ballard  and  Samuel  Weston,  under  the  direction  of  the  "Committee  tor 
the  sale  of  the  Eastern  Lands  " 

Said  township  was  purchased  by  Messrs.  Weston  and  Peck,  and  by 
them  conveyed  to  Benjamin  Joy  and  others.  The  town  is  watered  by 
the  Kenduskeag  Stream,  which  runs  in  a  South  Easterly  direction  nearly 
through  the  center  of  the  town,  receiving  the  waters  of  the  Crooked 
Brook  and  *PieiTe  Paul  Brook,  while  Bear  Bi-ook,  situated  in  the  North 
Easterly  part  of  the  town,  gives  its  waters  to  little  Pushaw  Pond. 

For  many  years  the  early  settlers  obtained  from  Kenduskeag  Stream, 
salmon  of  good  size,  at  a  distance  of  17  miles  from  the  watei  s  of  the 
Penobscot  Kiver. 

'J'he  surface  of  the  town  is  level,  and  was  densely  covered  with  a 
growth  of  trees  in  which  the  maple,  birch,  beech,  ash,  bass,  hemlock, 
spruce  and  cedar,  seemingly  strove  for  prominency ;  yet  th<i  bird's-eye 
maple  must  have  seen, — if  it  saw  at  all — that  the  attempt  would  be 
futile  to  vie  with  the  majestic  pines,  scattered  over  the  entire  township. 

The  solenni  grandeur  of  the  township's  native  growth  of  hardy  trees, 
tall  and  thickly  i)lanted,  demanded  the  admiration  of  the  explorer,  as  he 
traversed  grounds  free  from  fallen  trees, — grounds  where  the  foot  of 
civilized  man  had  never  trod,  where  no  effort  at  improvement  had  marred 
the  forests'  primeval  beauty,  save  that  of  the  industrious  beaver,  by 
danuning  running  waters,  and  adding  broad  acres  to  liis  original  home- 
stead. 

Such  was  township  No  2  in  1792,  when  Mr.  Abner  Tibbetts  and  Mr. 
Daniel  Budge,  while  on  an  exploring  excursion,  were  so  well  pleased 
with  it,  that  they  decided  at  once  to  abandon  the  idea  of  removing  to 
the  State  of  Ohio,  and  immediately  made  arrangements  for  settling  upon 
lands  by  them  recently  discovered,  naming  them  '"New  Ohio." 

Mr.  Abner  Tibbetts  and  Mr.  Daniel  Bud^e  were  men  of  large  capaci- 
ties and  indomitable  will,  and  were   strivmg  to    find  the  gateway  of 

*Pierre  Paul  was  the  name  of  an  Indian  living  upon  the  banks  of  the  brook. 


opportunity  for  greatness  and  usefulness;  and  that  such  were  many  of 
their  associates,  their  works  prove  them. 

The  forests  of  Maine  were  being  explored,  and  several  townships  near 
the  waters  of  Penobscot  were  already  surveyed.  Provisioned  for  a 
week's  cruise,  they  followed  the  spotted  lines  of  the  surveyor  as  far  as 
his  lines  extended,  and  tinding themselves  in  wood-land  heretofore  un- 
seen by  the  eye  of  civilized  man.  here  they  pitched  their  tent  upon 
grounds  they  determined  should  become  their  future  home;  here  they 
dedicated  the  forest;  here  offered  oblations,  and  sang  "New  Ohio." 

Tlie  children  of  Israel  were  led  through  the  wilderness  by  the  blaze 
of  the  pillar  of  light,  and  our  fathers  wei-e  led  to  our  township  b}'^ 
blazed  trees.  Soon  after  a  few  acres  of  tlie  forest  trees  were  felled 
upon  lot  No.  10.  in  the  tii-st  Eange.  upon  grounds  where  now  stands  the 
buildings  of  Mr.  Lucas.  Before  these  grounds  were  cleared,  or  any 
buildings  erected.  Mr.  Daniel  Skinner,  formerly  from  Mansfield  Mass., 
but  more  recentlj'^  from  Brewer  (Me.)  withthiee  sons  and  three  daugh- 
ters, all  at  ages  of  nuiturity.  made  an  opening  about  two  miles  in  a 
northerly  direction  from  the  Ohio  Settlement,  and  nearer  the  center  of 
the  township,  and  as  the  members  of  the  Skinner  family  married  early, 
and  settled  in  their  father's  neighborhood,  a  numerous,  industrious  and 
intelligent  progeny  soon  filled  the  territorial  neighboihood  with  loving 
souls,  through  whose  veins  ran  quietly  the  Skinner  love  of  domestic 
life ;  and  so  numerous  were  they,  that  the  neighborhood  was  very  prop- 
erly called  the  ''Skinner  Settlement."  Mr.  Jacob  Wheeler,  from  Peters- 
ham. Mass.,  and  Mr.  Kichard  Palmer,  from  Parsonstield,  Me.,  each  mar- 
ried, for  their  first  wives,  daughters  of  Mr.  Daniel  Skinner. 

For  A^ariety.  which  is  the  spice  of  life,  Mr.  Isaac  Hodsdon  and  Mr, 
Nathan  Hodsdon.  with  their  families  from  Berwick  (Me.)  domiciled 
within  the  quiet  precincts  of  the  Puritan  family. 

Hei-e  was  the  lirst  house  erected,  and  here  commenced  domestic  life — 
here  the  wanderer  among  the  townships  found  a  home,  and  the  adven- 
turer was  cared  for. 

When  Messrs.  Tibbetts  and  Budge  i-eturned  to  clear  the  grounds  where 
lay  the  trees  of  their  falling,  others  came  with  them,  and  linding  true 
all  they  had  heard  of  the  promised  land,  entered  quickly  into  the  work 
of  cultivating  these  lands,  and  hope  lent  them  energy  and  impulse  to 
make  homes  m  this  quiet  and  peaceful  solitude. 

Among  the  new  comers  was  Mr.  William  Tibbetts,  Mark  Trafton, 
Joshua  C.  Thompson,  John  Goodhue.  William  Hammond,  Eoyal  Clark, 
Peletiah  Simpson,  Dr.  William  Peabody,  Lemuel  Tozier.  and  others. 

A  young  wife,  writing  her  friends  after  her  arrival  with  her  husband 
at  New  Ohio,  thus  gave  expression  to  her  feelings.  "I  am  the  Bride  of 
the  Wilderness,  and  at  her  altars  humbly  bow.  while  enjoying  the  pres- 
ence of  surroundings  which  give  warmth  to  feelings  and  promptings  to 
religious  expressions.  This  wilderness  is  a  temple  of  continuous  wor- 
ship—a dwelling  too  wide  for  walls,  too  high  for  dome.  On  every  side 
I  am  admonished  to  join  Nature's  worship;  the  rough  unhewn  walls  of 
my  cabin,  prompts  the  singing  of  Soloman's  first  song,  Ch.  1,  v.  7— 'The 
beams  of  our  house  are  cedar,  and  our  raftei-s  are  fir.'  To  those  who 
would  sing  the  song  of  gladness  in  Nature's  Temple,  the  spirit  and  the 
Bride  say.  come !" 

Much  that  transpired  in  those  early  days,  comes  down  to  us  through 
those  early  social  gatherings,  where  life's  incidents  were  fully  discussed 
and  by  hearers  treasured  in  memory's  store-house,  for  the  pen  of  the 
coming  historian,  and  be  this  pen  truthful  in  its  records. 


6 

In  1704.  Mr.  Josiiih  Sim})son,  Robert  Simpson,  Robert  Campbell, 
Simon  Prescott.  Jonathnn  Snow.  Rufiis  Inman,  and  others,  passing 
throu<>-li  the  "Skinner  Settlement"  and  proceeding  in  a  north  westerly 
direction  some  two  miles,  and  near  the  line  of  said  township,  entered 
npon  lands  inviting  both  the  lumberman  and  the  agricdlturist,  and  here 
planted  a  neighborhood,  which,  nntii  the  year  of  1818.  was  known  as  the 
Simpson  Settlement,  after  whicii  time,  in  conseqnence  of  a  change  of 
ownership,  the  place  has  been  known  as  the  ''Eddy  Settlement." 

On  the  easterly  side  of  the  Kendnskeag  Stream,  lay  an  elevation  of 
gronnds  peculiarly  adapted  for  planting  an  Eden  neighborhood,  on  which 
Deacon  John  Hunting.  Eben  Hunting.  Joshua  Herrick,  Reuben  Ball, 
Isaac  Ball.  Benjamin  Dyer,  Samuel  Gould,  Josiah  Gregoiy,  David  A. 
Gove,  Andrew  Strong,  and  others  commenced  operations  in  1808;  and 
soon  a  correct  taste,  judicious  management,  and  untiring  industry,  gave 
remarkable  evidences  of  the  future  growth  and  beauty  of  the  coming 
neighborhood. 

The  far  reaching  vision  of  Deacon  Hunting  and  his  associates  saw  that 
the  joint  and  individual  eflort  of  their  little  colony  would  convert  the 
woodlands  on  the  easterly  side  of  the  Kendnskeag  into  fields  of  grow- 
ing grain,  and  soon  teach  the  apparently  useless  waters  of  stream  and 
brooks,  to  turn  the  wheels  of  industry  for  man's  special  benefit.  Much 
that  was  at  tirst  seen  by  the  prophetic  eye,  was  soon  realized,  and  as  the 
worthy  deacon  was  entering  in  every  needed  effort  to  hasten  the  growth 
of  his  neighborhood,  it  was  called  the  Hunting  settlement,  but  now 
East  Corinth, 

Thus  from  1792  to  1811,  these  neighborhoods  were  constantly  receiv- 
ing additions  to  their  respective  localities,  and  seemed  to  feel,  by  a 
m^^stic  free  masonry,  that  they  were  inseparable.  The  19  years  occu- 
pied as  a  township,  were  years  of  quiet.  Litigation  was  unknown; 
scandal  and  falsehood  on  no  human  lip ;  man  was  at  all  times  con- 
tiding  and  accommodating.  The  scarcity  of  implements  of  husbandry 
prompted  invention,  and  the  mechanic's  eye  readily  saw  in  the  trees 
surrounding  him,  the  wanting  material  from  which  was  readily 
made  the  rough  article  wanted  for  immediate  use.  The  straight  ash  for 
beam,  the  sapling  with  appropriate  bends  for  handles,  and  the  beech 
of  serpentine  twist  for  mouldboard  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Abner  Tibbetts, 
soon  became  the  wood  work,  waiting  onl^-^  to  be  ironed  by  Mr.  John 
Goodhue  to  become  the  Pioneer  plow.  Whilst  the  young  maple,  early 
bent  by  malaria's  chronic  rheumatism,  was  forced  into  the  ungraceful 
shape  of  scythe  snath,  a  form  necessary  for  earl}^  mowing,  giving  evi- 
dence of  a  co-partnership  between  nature  and  the  farmer. 

Mr.  Joshua  C.  Thompson  framed  and  finished  buildings  of  all  descrip- 
tions, while  Mr.  Mason  Skinner,  from  trees  straight  in  grain,  standing 
within  sight  of  his  shop,  mamifactured  tubs,  boxes,  kegs,  chairs,  and 
almost  every  wooden  article  required  for  use. 

Mr.  Rufuslnman,a  master  workman  in  wood,  iron  and  steel,  manufac- 
tured spinning  wheels  of  every  description,  made  surgical  instruments, 
and  with  wonderful  skill  used  them,— extracted  teeth  for  six  and  one- 
fourth  cents  singly,  and  ten  cents  for  two  at  one  sitting;  would  let 
blood  when  necessary,  with  a  lance  of  his  own  making,  with  edge  as 
sharp  as  his  own  wit.  With  Mr.  Inman  there  was  no  storm;  clouds 
lifted  at  his  presence;  he  carried  sunshine  with  him,  and  while  his 
jieighbor  Snow,  with  heart  as  cold  as  the  name  he  bore,  sighed  over 
"fallen  man,"  and  wept  over  the  world's  condition,  and  the  depravity  of 
the  human  heart,  the  merry  sounds  of  the  Inman  voice  was  heard,  de- 


daring  that  in  tlie  liunian  soul  was  vested  individual  powers  to  make  tlie 
coming  man  all  God  designed  him  to  be.  '-a  little  lower  than  the  angels." 
and  all  that  was  wanting  was  patient  finishing,  everv  material  for  which 
was  in  man  (Inman.) 

In  those  early  days,  the  Sabbath  was  religiously  observed,  and  dwell- 
ing houses  were  opened  for  worship.  For  many  years,  by  invitation  of 
the  owner,  the  house  of  Mr.  Jacob  Wheeler  was.  deemed  a  home  for 
prayer  and  praise.  But  on  a  certain  time  a  large  congregation  met  in  a 
newly  finished  stable,  and  fitting  praise  was  offered  the  "Babe  of  the 
manger,"  This  meeting  was  on  a  pleasant  day  of  June,  children  from 
every  part  of  the  township  were  in  attendance.  occup3'ing  seats  pre- 
pared for  them,  as  this  was  designed  for  childhood  worship.  The 
speaker  was  young;  his  subject.  '"The  Life  of  the  Saviour."  his  text. 
'•Follow  me."  The  preacher's  heart  lay  open,  -nd  his  spontaneous 
thoughts  were  in  sjnnpathy  with  all  that  pertained  to  childhood.  Of  the 
Saviour's  manger-birth,  his  infancy,  childhood,  manhood,  and  tragical 
death;  of  these  he  spoke  in  solemn  tone  of  voice,  but  in  his  face  there 
was  the  christian's  cheerful  look,  while  with  an  eloquence  particularly 
his  own,  he  threw  back  the  blinds  which  darken  the  windows  of  child- 
hood, and  fastened  fair  images  on  the  brain,  never  dimmed  by  touch  of 
time.  Raphael  and  Phideas  excelled  in  their  respective  vocations,  but 
painters  nor  sculptors  make  themselves  innnortal;  but  he  who  happily 
makes  good  impressions  upon  the  human  mind  and  character,  and  lays 
foundations  for  the  inward  growth  of  the  human  soul,  lives  forever.  Then 
live  our  fathers  evermore. 

No  painter  ever  wrought  upon  canvas  a  form  more  clearly  resembling- 
its  original  in  all  proportions — more  accurate  in  look  and  bearing  than 
did  our  young  clergyman  the  entire  personification  of  the  Saviour.  And 
as  children  listened,  the  fashion  of  face  was  changed,  and  seemingly,  fire 
from  heaven  came  down  and  was  kindled  in  an  alabaster  vase; — it  was 
no  outward  illumination;  the  lamp  was  inside,  an  orb  of  glory  shooting 
up  kindling  rays,  filling  the  atmosphere  with  dawn  and  day-break  and 
became  a  sun-rise,  while  the  intimate  connection  between  body  and 
spirit  translated  the  mystic  meanings  declaring  "we  will  follow  thee." 
And  so  forcibly  and  graphically  was  the  doctrine  of  the  text  impressed, 
that  when  the  working-day  came,  and  a  clnld  was  told  by  its  father,  that 
he  was  not  old  enough  to  follow  him  (the  father)  over  rough  grounds  to 
the  "clearing,"  the  boy  cheerfully  replied,  "Well,  father,  if  1  am  not 
old  enough  to  follow  you  over  rough  places,  am  I  not  old  enough  to  fol- 
low the  Saviour?" 

To  the  praise  of  the  first  settlers  be  it  published,  that  especial  care 
was  taken  to  properly  instruct  the  young — in  this  parents  never  tired. 
The  fireside  and  the  closet  were  institutions  of  learning,  where  were 
taught  the  theology  of  pure  thought,  goodness,  truth,  justice,  love. 
Both  children  and  parents  alike  learned  to  read,  and  were  enabled  by 
careful  reading  to  become  self-instructors.  What  they  studied  was  prac- 
tical, efficient  and  good,  and  by  reading,  readily  obtained  the  common 
use  of  words,  and  thouglif  no  ''Webster"  was  before  them,  they  soon 
learned  that  their  own  thoughts  were  'unabridged." 

Schools  were  early  formed  in  the  township,  but  of  the  precise  period, 
the  month,  and  day  of  the  month,  we  are  unable  to  give,  but  this  we 
know,  "/i  was  in  the  beginning .''''  Historians  of  the  present  time,  while 
striving  to  give  the  day  and  hour  of  each  event,  lose  sight  of  imporrant 
facts,  incidents  and  events  as  essential  to  history  as  fiesh,  blood,  sinew 
and  brain  are  to  the  frame-work  of  the  human  body.    In  the  early  period 


of  creation,  when  tlie  great  liistorian  wrote  the  first  books  of  tlie  Old 
Testament,  the  Maker  of  heaven  and  eartli  was  pleased  that  liis  historian 
Moses,  should  say.  '"In  the,  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the 
earth."'  To  the  Deity  this  was  sufficiently  specific  as  to  time,  and  men 
of  faith  and  brain,  then  and  to-day,  read,  believed  and  ar  >  satisfied;  but, 
with  sorrow  be  it  spoken,  scientists,  with  pocket  hammers  are  smitin<^ 
rocks  or  prominent  sione,  that  with  chips  or  sphnters,  thej'-  may  build 
arguments  to  invalidate  the  wisdom  of  God  and  his  approved  records. 
Many  persons  love  to  doubt,  to  waver,  to  suspect !  An  early  skeptical 
acquaintance  of  ours  was  of  this  class — was  full  of  uncertaint}^  a  ca viler 
— drove  slumbers  from  his  couch  in  thinking  that  we  cannot  tell  when 
sleep  begins,  when  childhood  ends,  and  manhood  assumes  its  place. 
Our  friend  believed  he  had  been  ''horn  again,^^  but  was  greatly  troubled 
that  he  could  not  name  the  day  of  his  second  birth,  and  he  marvelled 
much  that  this  new  created  world  of  ours — man's  homestead — was  a 
dateless  conveyance.  But  the  Maker  of  our  world  had  foretliought 
not  to  be  implicated  in  a  jar,  break  or  omission  needing  amendment. 

Those  devoid  of  confidence  in  God,  who  have  no  Godly  fear,  are  those 
who  understand  not  the  perfections  and  purposes  of  His  works.  Our 
first  settlers  "searched  the  Scriptures."  and  learned  that  there  are  secrets 
in  God  for  us;  that  His  internal  being  is  populous  with  whispers  not  yet 
spoken,  and  revelations  not  yet  fully  revealed,  and  that  He  has  confi- 
dence enough  in  those  who  fear  Him  to  trust  such  with  His  secrets. 
Psalms,  25  :14,  '"The  secret  of  the  Lord  was  with  them   that  fear  Him." 

If  the  date  of  our  world's  formation  is  a  secret,  the  seciet  is  with  Him 
who  made  it,  and  if  there  be  those  who  are  striving  for  the  secret,  let 
such  fear  the  world's  Maker.  Thus  reasoned  our  fatht^ns.  hungering 
never  for  the  fabulous  teachings  of  Miller,  Huxley,  and  Darwin,  but 
content  ever  in  the  knowledge  that  our  veiled  world  of  stillness,  made 
'Hnthe  beginning,"'  is  full  of  inaudible  music  with  which  the  Deity,  with 
loving  and  confidential  intercourse  of  m3'^stic  power,  sets  our  whole 
nature  to  singing,  touching  some  chord  of  shatteied  harps  that  gave 
melody  in  the  first  new  song  at  our  world's  creation.     Happy  parents  I 

Schools  were  formed  as  early  as  1806,  perhaps  sooner.'  "and  while 
fathers  were  preparing  grounds  for  early  sowing,  mothers,  by  living  in 
God's  forests  with  open  eyes  became  the  architectress  for  the  growth  of 
childhood's  granulation  in  coming  years.  Thus  our  school's  visiting 
committee  were  generally  mothers,  self-elected ;  they  insisted  upon 
development  in  which  lay  the  grand  evolving  problems  of  civilization. 
Our  committee  were  graduates  of  the  forest,  for  they  there  saw  in  the 
earth  a  little  germ  to  which  a  beam  of  light  found  its  way  through 
branches  and  whispering  leaves,  and  woke  up  the  primal  germ ;  it  devel- 
ops, unfolds,  organizes  a  knot  here,  a  branch  there,  and  at  the  proper 
time,  husbands  bend  and  smooth  and  cover  them  with  mysterious  polish, 
preserving  the  gi-ain  of  the  wood.  This  they  saw  and  noticed,  and  this 
they  called  development. 

[Shades  of  our  early  departed  mothers,  revisit,  we  pray  thee,  the 
scenes  of  early  life,  and  teach  now  the  beauties  and  excellence  of  school 
supervisorship.]  • 

Among  the  first  schools  in  this  township,  we  name  that  taught  by  Miss 
Eunice  iisher  of  Canton,  Mass.  For  want  of  juvenile  school-books,  this 
ingenious  teacher  resorted  to  object  teaching  and  oral  instructions,  and 
the  nest  of  the  bird  in  the  lower  branches  of  the  tree  near  the  school- 
room, taught  the  infant  mind  the  beauty  of  bird-life,  the  connubial  ten- 
derness between  St.  Valentine's  mated  birds,  the  care  of  their  little  ones, 


0 

the  »'\  idi'Mce  tluit  the  niifledi^ed  bird  gained  stren«i:th  of  wing  by  failun^ 
and  renewed  effort,  nntil,  by  its  unaided  wing-power,  it  reached  the 
iiigh<'st  brancli  of  the  tree-top— these  thoughts  being  so  clearly  pressed 
on  the  clean  brain  of  the  chihl.  they  were  retained  while  meniory  held 
her  throne.  The  first  winter  school  was  taught  by  Gen.  Isaac  HoVlsdon, 
where  scholars  learned  to  enter  the  school-room  with  deferential  bow. 
and,  unbidden,  rose  when  i)arents  or  strangers  entered  or  left  the  school 
room,  and  at  all  times,  in  street  or  elsewhere,  with  uncovered  head  gave 
civil  salutation  to  all  they  met.  This  tlu  y  called  the  school  of  good 
manners;  the  ol)serv;ince  of  these  rules  became  the  admiration  of  all 
])ersons  of  good  breeding.  Fiom  the  leaving  of  home  tp  their  return, 
scholars  considere<l  themselves  under  the  care  and  discipline  of  the 
teacher.  In  the  school-room  they  were  taught  to  be  dignified  in  look 
and  pure  of  speech,  tainting  nothing  with  pencil  of  lewdness,  or  making 
records  that  would  paint  shame  in  the  human  face.  For  the  return  of 
these  days  prayers  are  offered.  All  lovers  of  good  breeding  hold  the 
name  of  Gen.  Hodsdon  in  kind  I'emendjrance  foi-  the  much  he  did  for  the 
benetit  of  scholars  and  the  purity  of  the  school-room.  Parents  who 
were  lax  in  goveinment,  for  the  time-being  thought  him  arbitrary,  and 
so  it  api)eared.  but  to-day  thank  him  for  his  apparent  severit3^  and  wish 
its  reign  had  extended  to  the  day  in  which  they  live. 

About  this  time  there  came  among  the  settleis,  a  Mr.  Kimball,  who 
was  an  original  genius — a  man  about  40  years  of  age,  by  occupation  a 
blacksmith. — who  had  obtained  a  large  store  of  information,  and  pos- 
sessed a  i-emarkable  faculty  of  diffusing  knowledge  to  all  who  had  '*an 
ear  to  hear."  He  received  newspapeis  from  the  States,  and  as  he  had  no 
family  of  his  own  he  visited  all  who  gave  a  willing  ear  to  events  transpir- 
ingaround  them,  being  a  complete  encyclopedia  of  all  matters  of  interest. 
Saturday  evcings  he  read  aloud  to  tilled  rooms  of  anxious  listeners  of 
both  sexes.  Parents  respected  him  and  children  loved  him.  Genial  and 
happy  himself,  he  spread  sunshine  and  happiness  over  tlie  inhabited  sec- 
tions of  the  township.  He  sought  children,  and  was  with  them  in  their 
lessons  and  often  their  play.  He  taught  them  the  love  of  nature,  home, 
and  country,  and  as  the  Fourth  of  July  was  close  upon  them,  it  was  pro- 
posed that  there  be  a  child's  celebration  of  that  day.  Boys  trimmed  a 
sapling  for  a  ''liberty  pole,"  and  little  girls  sewed  together  handker- 
chiefs for  a  flag  of  our  country.  .Children  becoming  enthusiastic,  par- 
ents and  others  soon  caught  this  inspiration,  and  on  the  Fourth  the  j^e- 
lected  ground  contained  nearly  all  the  living  souls  within  the  township. 
Mr.  Asahel  Skinner  read  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  Mr.  Kimball 
delivered  the  oiation,  Mr.  Simon  Pi-escott  sang  the  Ode  on  Science.  The 
toasts  were  read  also  by  Mr.  Kimball,  w^hich  were  probably  mostly  from 
the  bakery  of  his  own  brain,  and  we  regret  to  say  that  we  are  not  in  pos- 
session of  a  copy,  and  must  therefore  give  them  from  our  own  imperfect 
memory  as  delivered,  aided  much,  however,  from  the  remembrance  of 
men  of  mature  years. 

Toasts  : — 1st.  Our  Celebration  Day — The  best  day  our  countrj^  ever 
knew,  excepting  the  Lord's  Day. 

2.  Our  Countrj^ — A  goodly  portion  of  the  six  days  work,  bearing  the 
impress  of  "Him  who  made  all  things,  and  saw  them  to  be  good." 

3.  Our  Township — Our  garden,  where  no  serpent  shall  ever  enter,  or 
man  in  his  official  acts  remind  one    f  Satan's  crookedness. 

4.  Our  First  Parents — Adam^  finely  molded  from  the  dust  of  the 
ground ;  JEve^  an  improvement,  and  made  of  bone  dust. 


10 

5.  Slaverv.— The  Slave,  a  liuiuan  beiii^.  darkened  extel•llall3^  The 
Slave  Holder,  a  b<-ing  siipi)()sed  to  be  human,  but  dark  of  soul.    . 

6.  Congressional  Contentions.— Hens  fluttering  over  the  nest  egg  of 
Slavery,  that  the  yolk  be  separated  from  the  white,  and  the  shell  remain 
unbroken. 

7.  Choice  Pictures,— Childhood's  early  morning,  and  manhood's  even- 
ing star. 

8.  Our  Temple  of  VVorshii),— The  groves,  vvhi<;h  were  God's  lirst 
temple. 

9.  Our  Orchestra,— Trees,  ever  making  melody. 

10.  Our  Choi-ister, — Our  Pine  Bassonest. 

Among  the  early  settlers  were  many  endowed  with  large  capacities, 
who  had  sensibly  felt  the  wai  t  of  schools  in  early  life,  aiul  resolved  to  do 
all  in  their  power  to  enable  the  yoinig,  by  early  instrnciion.  to  become 
more  fulh' educated  th.ui  themselves,  and  being  thus  imbued  v  ith  the 
truth  that  now?  is  the  planting  hour,  busied  themselves  as  best  they  could 
in  depositing  the  acorn,  tliat  those  coming  in  aftertin.e  might  tind  the 
oak. 

The  venerable  Father  Sawyer,  "the  pilgrim  of  an  hundred  years," 
whose  effo;  ts  had  much  to  do  in  establisliing  the  Theological  Seminary 
in  Bangor,  while  performing  missionary  laoors  through  the  Penobscot 
region,  visited  the  newly  made  settlements,  and  in  fitting  words  with 
voice  sweet  to  the  ear  of  childhood,  spake  truths  which  overwhelmed 
them  with  floods  of  happy  thought,  and  the  influence  of  that  good  man's 
christian  words  live  to-day.  as  they  lived  more  than  half  a  century  ago. 
while  strengthening  parent  and  child  in  the  putting  forth  that  stretch  of 
endeavor,  which  taxed  muscle  of  mind,  heart  and  hand — taxes  now  wil- 
lingly paid. 

Among  the  first  settlers  was  a  man  of  ndlitary  bearing  and  of  strong 
military  proclivities.  He  loved  war  and  its  appendages  more  than  ail 
things  else.  His  faculties,  energies  and  genius  enlisted  in  the  military  ser- 
vice, and  warfare  grew  into  the  life  and  vigor  of  a  passion.  Though  he 
loved  the  shining  stars  of  the  firmament,  yet  he  loved  more  the  shooting 
star\  and  the  open  arms  of  the  father  of  the  prodigal  son  were  arms  pleas- 
ing to  the  christian,  yet  the  stacked  arms  of  musketry  on  the  tented 
field  had  greater  charms  for  our  warrior.  With  keen  relish  he  read  the 
histories  of  ancient  wars,  and  when  he  read  the  scriptures  he  dwelt  hap- 
pily on  those  pages  describing  the  rigor  of  contending  armies,  and  be- 
lieving the  Deity  was  the  God  of  battle,  our  warrior  desired  a  long 
sword,  a  nodding  plume,  and  ample  room /or  a  commandant  on  the  battle 
field.  In  military  tactics  he  had  become  a  proficient,  having  studied 
Stuben  as  the  scholar  studies  mathematics,  and  loved  the  work  of  this 
author  the  more  because  Baron  Stuben  was  once  an  oflicer  under  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  and  coming  to  this  country,  received  an  appointment  in 
the  American  army  in  1777.  These  facts  gave  a  charm  to  his  study,  and 
an  impetus  to  his  ambition.  In  September.  1818,  Major  General  Jedediah 
Herrick,  of  Hampden,  issued  a  division  order,  calling  out  the  militia  to 
meet  on  the  field  north  of  Mr.  John  Hancock's  house  in  Bangor,  which 
order,  after  designating  many  military  manoeuvres,  closes  by  stating, 
••the  senior  officer  of  the  Brigade  will  assume  the  command,  and  add  such 
evolutions  as  he  may  deem  expedient."  At  the  time  designated,  the 
militia,  armed  and  equipped,»were  in  attendance;  officers' plumes  waved 
as  thistle  blows  on  fields  of  nodding  grain,  while  cannon  and  musketry 
hy  their  own  mouths  declared  they  were  present.  Spectators  were  in- 
numerable, whose  eyes  viewed,  while  His  Excellency  reviewed  the  mov- 
ing military  mass,  keeping  step  to  the  beat  of  the  drum. 


11 

Thosf'  (l.iys  of  i)Mrjule  were  happy  (l;«ys.  nnd  the  historian  who  writes 
the  military  history  of  our  time'*,  will  probably  canonize  each  event,  and 
pass  them  down  to  future  generations. 

The  Sabbath  foUowino;  the  jubilee  week  of  military  parade  was  a  day 
pleasant  and  warm.  At  the  usual  hour  the  good  citizens  of  Corinth 
assembled  for  religious  worship,  and  to  listen  to  the  gospel  from  a  much 
loved  clergyman.  The  house  was  well  filled,  services  had  commenced, 
and  while  the  singers  were  singing  a  hymn  in  the  tune  of  Old  Hundred, 
our  militar}^  man.  on  his  way  home  from  nnister  grounds,  entered  the 
house  in  full  uniform,  and  by  close  packing,  room  was  made  for  him. 
Singing  endefl.  the  clergyman  announc(  d  for  his  text  a  passage  of 
scripture  found  in  Eccl.  9:18,  '-Wisdom  is  better  than  weapons  of  war. 
but  one  sinner  destl•o^  eth  much  good."  'J  he  sermon  was  forcible  and 
interesting,  showing  first,  of  wisdom — its  origin  and  tendencies;  second, 
the  weapons  of  war;  third,  the  one  sinner  destroyeth  much  good.  The 
discourse  was  able.  No  person  could  have  listened  to  the  speaker's  forci- 
ble words  and  not  have  fallen  in  love  with  wisdom,  without  detesting  the 
weapons  of  wai-  and  becoming  fearfully  afiaid  of  the  siinier. 

At  the  close  of  the  discourse  the  speaker,  as  was  the  custom  in  those 
days,  gave  liberty  for  rennirks ;  whereupon,  our  military  man  was  upon 
his  feet,  and  with  a  voice  tnore  militaiy  tl  an  devotional,  declared  the 
discourse  unseriptural  and  false  in  many  of  its  assumed  essential  points; 
that  the  attack  upon  war  was  but  a  skirmish  in  words;  his  ''weapons  of 
war"  were  wooden  flints  snapped  against  a  sparkless  hammer.  Our  mil- 
itary man.  though  greatly  excited,  gave  evidence  of  much  reading,  as 
well  as  the  character  of  that  reading— was  ingenious,  witty  even;  but 
failed  in  this,  as  in  some  other  points,  the  showing  that  he  was  compe- 
tent to  c<»ntrol  armies,  this  evidence  being  apparent  that  he  could  not 
even  control  himself.  Every  historical  fact  in  the  Old  Testament  in 
which  the  Almighty  is  represented  as  leading  in  battles,  were  quoted  as 
evidence  that  war  and  slaughter  is  as  much  the  design  and  pleasure  of 
the  Deit}-  as  Christianity,  and  that  such  warriors  as  Alexenderthe  Great, 
and  Napolean  Bonaparte  were  endowed  with  greater  abilities  than  the 
Apostles,  and  that  for  intelligence  and  manly  bearing,  the  generals  in 
om*  army  are  men  far  surpassing  the  preachers  of  the  gospel  in  our  pul- 
pits at  tile  present  day.  After  which,  our  warrior  resumed  his  seat, 
waiting  reply.  The  man  of  God  (worthy  that  name),  calmly  surveying 
his  audience  with  an  eye  beaming  with  peace  and  christian  tenderness, 
lifting  his  hands  and  looking  heavenward,  said,  '"Let  us  pray."  The  au- 
dience, (save  those  who  with  the  preacher  knelt,)  stood  during  prayer, 
but  our  warrior  retained  his  sitting.  The  clergyman's  prayer  was  the 
breathings  of  the  soul  in  sympathetic  intercourse  with  its  Maker,  and  his 
words  were  utterances  of  faith  and  trust  for  the  ear  of  a  listening  Father, 
joyous  in  the  belief  that  He  is  the  Prince  of  peace,  and  humbly  asking 
that  war  cease  upon  the  earth,  and  pence  have  its  home  among  the  chil- 
dren of  men  the  wide  world  over,  which  prayer  received  a  hearty  amen 
from  the  audience,  which,  could  a  listening  world(not  in  military  attire) 
have  heard,  universal  peace  would  have  been  proclaimed.  The  tirst per- 
son leaving  the  house  was  our  warrior,  who,  quickly  throwing  himself 
into  his  saddle,  left  for  his  residence,  making  no  reply.  But  in  after  time 
the  warrior,  having  dwelt  much  upon  the  matter,  became  thoughtful 
and  said  he  found  much  in  the  clergyman  to  admire :  in  the  first  place, 
the  keeping  a  force  in  reserve,  and  by  strateg3^  outflanking  his  enemy  by 
dignified  silence,  this  was  military;  in  the  second  place,  the  preacher's 
masterly  christian  eloquence  upon  "'wisdom,''  which,   despite  his  early 


12 

prejudices  found  a  lodxinent  in  tlie  mind,  ejecting  much  liis  early  love 
tor' war  and  its  disi)lay.  and  tiiouo-li  the  eye  k)ve(l  military  tactics  and  the 
play  of  vmi\  yet  he  loved  more  the  living  principles  of  Christianity,  and 
though  generally  reticent,^yet  in  his  hist  days  when  life  was  wasting,  sober 
reason  spake  and  oni*  warrioi-  dechired.  "  Wmlom  u  better  than  weapons 
of  war."'  and  so  declaring,  departed  this  lile  in  peace. 

Our  first  parents  in  our  township  were  fearless  and  just,  never  hiding 
themselves  among  trees  of  ancient  planting,  and  were  early  enabl  •(!  to 
])artake  of  the  fruit  of  their  own  industry,  and  we  would  gladly  tiame 
them  all.  but  b}'  so  doing  we  should  become  a  mere  tombstone  in  com- 
memorating the  dates  of  the  birth  and  death  of  early  settlers. 

Biographical  notices  we  would  gladly  give,  if  our  proposed  limits 
would  allow,  b.it  what  could  be  interesting  to  the  reading  public,  in  the 
lives  of  men  whose  chief  merit  consisted  in  the  due  fulHllment  of  the 
duties  of  private  life? 

The  names  of  the  first  settlers  are  interesting  because  they  were  the 
first  settlers.  Of  them  we  have  no  affecting  tale  to  relate,  no  peiils  by 
fire,  flood,  field  or  railway ;  no  crimes  to  relate  by  the  wrong  doing  of 
others  or  themselves — but  of  them  we  can  say  and  are  happy  in  the  say- 
ing, that  they  were  a  moral,  religious  and  prudent  people,  lovers  of  na- 
ture, kindred,  countr}-,  living  lives  of  industry  and  admirable  foresight, 
made  the  best  of  their  situation,  were  cheerful  and  lived  in  quest  of 
comfort,  begat  children,  and  died,  and  in  the  next  decade  a  niore  able 
historian  will  name  them.  The  reader  will  find  much  matter  in  these 
"■Early  Gleanings"  that  first  appeared  in  the  ''History  of  Penobscot 
County,''  by  Williams,  Chase  and  Co..  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

By  an  act  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Kepresentatives  in  General 
Court  assembled  June  21,  1811,  township  No.  2,  in  the  4th  range  north 
of  the  Waldo  Patent,  in  the  County  of  Hancock,  was  incorporated  and 
established  as  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Corinth.  At  the  time  of  incorpor- 
ation there  were  197  inhabitants  of  the  town.  The  warrant  for  the  first 
town-meeting  was  issued  by  Moses  Hodsdon,  of  Levant,  a  Justice  of 
the  Peace. 

The  first  town-meeting  was  held  on  the  17th  day  of  March,  1812,  at  the 
dwelling  house  of  Elijah  Skinner.  The  meeting  was  callea  to  order  by 
Moses  Hodsdon,  Esq.,  of  Levant,  and  Mark  Trafton  was  chosen  Modera- 
tor,— Isaac  Hodsdon,  Town  Clerk, — William  Hammond,  Elijah  Skinner, 
John  Hunting,  Selectmen, — William  Peabody,  Elijah  Skinmr,  David 
A.  Gove,  Assessors. — Mark  Trafton,  Treasurer, — Joshua  C.  Thompson, 
Keuben  Ball,  Constables, — Andrew  Goodhue,  Elijah  Skinner,  Jomithan 
Snow,  Joseph  Bragdon,  Surverors  of  Highways,— Josiah  Simpson, 
Jonathan  Snow,  Simon  Prescott,  Tythingmen, — Benjamin  Dyer,  Kobert 
Campbell,  Eichard  Palmer,  Abner  Tibbetts,  Fence-viewers. — Knfus 
Simpson,  Mason  Skinner,  Joseph  Prescott,  Joshua  Herrick,  Hog-reeves. 

Raised  $700  for  highways;— voted  that  $1.25  be  allowed  for  a  day's 
work,  eight  hours  constituting  the  day.  Raided  $200  for  support  of 
schools,  to  be  paid  in  corn  at  $1.00  per  bushel,  rye  at  $1.17  and  wheat  at 
$1.33.  Raised  $150  to  defray  town  charges.  Established  a  road  from 
New  Charleston  through  Hunting  Settlement  to  South  line  of  Corinth. 
Established  a  road  from  Mr.  John  Goodhue's  (Ohio  Settlement.)  run- 
ning in  a  northerly  direction  through  the  Skinner  settlement  and  the 
Simpson  settlement  (now  Eddy  settlement,)  to  Exeter  line.  Estab- 
lished a  road  from  Mr.  Lewis  Bean's,  Ohio  settlement,  running  westerly 
to  Exeter  line. 

Notwithstanding  the  necessary  labor  in  building  roads,  the  forming 


13 

of  school  districts,  erecting  scliool  houses,  selecting  groiuids  for 
cemeteries  ^vel•e  duties  not  neglected.  Schools  also  received  prompt 
attention,  and  were  commenced  as  soon  as  school  houses  were  in 
readiness. 

In  1S18  several  families  from  P^ddington  (Me.)  moved  into  the  Eddy 
settlement,  which  was  an  imijortant  acquisition  to  the  town.  Among 
the  Tiew-comeis  was  Mr.  VVilliMni  Eddy,  who  was  born  in  Sackville, 
N.B..  July  1.  1775.  died  in  Corintij.  January  22.  1852.  His  death  was 
«>ccasioned  by  a  fall  frou)  a  scaffold;  his  loss  to  the  entire  comumnity 
was  very  great. 

Mr.  Jonathan  M.  Eddy,  eldest  son  of  Mr.  William  Eddy,  was  born 
in  Eddiiigton,  Oct.  22,  1797,  died  in  Corinth.  August  5,  1875.  Pope 
pronounced  a  titting  eulogy  on  Mr.  Eddy,  when  he  declared:  ''An 
hiuiest  man  is  the  noblest  work  of  God." 

For  his  first  wife  he  married  Miss  Eliza  Morrill,  who  died  Feb.  5. 
1861.  His  second  wife  was  Mrs.  Elizabetli  G.  Twombly.  with  whom  he 
iiappily  passed  the  last  days  of  a  useful  and  quiet  life, — the  wife  still 
living  and  making  happy  new  and  I'espectable  connections. 

Mr.  Wiljard  Eddy  and  Sylvester  Eddy,  sons  of  Mr.  William  Eddy, 
and  also  tlie  several  sous  of  Mr.  Joseph  Eddy,  together  with  Mr. 
John  Campbell,  son  of  the  pioneer  Kobert  Campbell,  all  men  uniting 
in  life's  laudable  eftbrts  for  good,  have  rendered  efficient  service  in 
making  the  Eddy  Neighborhood  a  pleasant  residence. 

East  Bidge. 

In  1816  Mr.  Samuel  Houston  commenced  farming  on  lands  lying 
East  of  East  Corinth,  and  asked  by  petition  that  the  town  cause  a 
road  to  be  laid  out  from  his  '-chopping"  to  East  Corinth,  and  after 
this  granting  of  the  petition,  other  persons  commenced  clearing  lands, 
and  soon  a  neighborliood  was  in  existence,  called  the  Savage  Settle- 
ment, but  the  name  was  soon  changed  to  East  Bidge. 

The  land  was  productive,  and  families  increased,  and  the  road  asked 
for  was  soon  extended  farther  east,  and  ''East  Ridge"  soon  embraced 
a  large  territoi-j'  extending  from  the  Ridge  in  an  easterly  direction  to 
the  Hudson  line,  and  those  having  the  gift  of  prophecy  predicted  that 
in  coming  time  -'East  Ridge"  in  beautj"  and  comeliness  would  equal 
her  elder  sister,  East  Corinth.  The  first  settlers  of  East  Ridge  have 
been  gathered  to  their  fathers;  others,  loving  more  a  warmer  clime, 
have  left;  yet  to-day  the  Ridge  lesounds  W'ith  the  farmer's  cheering 
voice  from  the  cultivated  fields,  and  the  mechanic's  hammer  in  the  shop. 

The  road  from  Charleston  line,  leading  through  the  Ridge  is  mostly 
on  elevat(  d  ground,  and  farms  on  each  side  show  due  cultivation,  while 
merry  sound  of  voices  tell  of  happy  firesides.  The  children  in  the 
street  greet  you  happily,  and  with  smiling  faces  hasten  to  the  school 
room.  Those  just  commencing  to  teach  show  early  development  and 
rare  fitness  for  teaching. 

Crossing  the  main  road  leading  to  Kenduskeag,  you  proceed  in  an 
easterly  direction  to  ''Bear  Brook,"  the  waters  of  which,  after  putting 
in  quick  motion  the  saw^  mill,  shingle  mill,  and  planing  mill  of  Mr. 
James  R.  Trim,  join  the  waters  of  Pushaw  Pond;  pursuing  still  fur- 
ther in  the  same  direction,  you  intersect  the  Farrar  road,  leading  from 
Charleston  to  Kenduskeag  and  are  within  150  rods  of  the  tow^n  line 
of  Hudson. 


14 

In  1823  Eev.  Stpph<'ii  Dexter  became  the  first  settled  minister  in 
the  town.  Mr.  Dexter  was  born  in  Cape  Cod.  Mass..  in  1776.  died  in 
Corinth.  Angust.  1836.  Mr.  Dexter's  ministry  was  very  aocei)table  to 
his  people;  he  was  a  man  of  industry,  and  equally  at  home  on  the  farm, 
in  the  shop  or  pulpit;  his  family  was  large  and  sons  aiid  daughters 
learned  to  follow  a  father's  judicious  example  and  timelj'  instructions. 
The  first  church  edifice  (Bai)tist)  was  built  in  1832.  near  the  residence 
of  the  pastor.  In  1856  the  building  was  removed  to  a  ver}'  desirable  lo- 
cation in  East  Coiinth  village,  and  being  remodeled  and  well  finished, 
with  fitting  steeple  and  fine  toned  bell,  it  was  admired  for  its  architect- 
in-al  fitness  and  sweetly  toned  belfry  music.  This  church  has  generally 
been  fortunate,  as  now.  in  having  in  its  [)ulpit.  pastors  of  marked  abili- 
ties, while  the  singing  gallery  universally  gives  notes  divinely  sweet  to 
the  cnltivated  ear.  Deacon  Dexter's  heart  is  always  there,  and  oft  you 
hear  his  mellow  notes  of  praise,  soothingly  sweet,  even  now  in  his  even- 
ing of  life,  ascending  from  his  family  pew. 

The  Methodists  have  two  churches,  one  in  Corinth,  the  other  in  East 
Corinth  with  a  recently  purchased  bell  of  large  size  and  great  power. 
Both  churches  are  of  medium  size,  well  finished,  and  so  cleaidy  kept  that 
all  must  admit  the  fact  that  Methodists  believe  in  internal  purity  in  the 
sanctuary,  as  well  as  in  practical  life.  In  1856,  the  Free  Baptists  ei'ected 
a  commodious  house  in  East  Corinth,  excellent  in  all  its  appointments, 
where  they  worship  with  n  free  v-ill 'aul\  commendable  zeal.  Connected 
with  each  church  are  Sabbath  schools  which  are  doing  wonders  in  the 
great  work  of  christian  intelligence  and  practical  purity.  Looking  re- 
cently into  the  Sabbath  schools,  where  the  teaching  of  the  young  en- 
grossed the  philanthropic  energies  of  the  devoted  christian,  we  read  in 
the  face  of  teacher  and  scholar  that  there  is  bliss  in  life's  working  days, 
and  that  none  need  wait  for  death  ere  heaven's  joys  begin,  and  the  soul 
that  waits  will  never  find.  Connected  also  with  these  churches,  are 
social  societies,  sometimes  called  '^seiving  societies^''  which  are  principally 
managed  by  the  intelligent  ladies  interested  in  the  churclies.  These 
meetings  are  generally  weekly,  in  which  all  can  participate,  and  while 
w^oman's  industry  works  for  church  or  pastorate,  each  contiibutes  to  its 
social  enjoyment  under  the  admonition  from  apostolic  lips.  "Let  your 
speech  be  always  with  grace,  seasoned  with  salt,  that  you  may  know'how 
to  answer  every  man."  While  these  societies  refrain  from  all  scandal 
and  evil  speaking,  thej^  make  their  own  speech  the  vehicle  of  the  mind, 
sometimes  running  light,  sometimes  loaded,  endeavoring  at  all  times  to 
make  language  the  garment  of  the  soul,  knowing  that  grace  of  utterance 
comes  from  a  root  deeply  within.  The  preacher's  thoughts  wdiich  come 
to  us  through  the  trained  carpentry  of  words  sometimes  fall  dull  on  the 
ear,  but  become  fragrant  with  a  charm  when  the  spirit  of  the  words  are 
sensibly  spoken  in  those  societies  which  give  social  fitness  of  expression. 

Gems,  scattered  broadcast  from  the  pulpit,  after  being  rehandled  and 
reset  to  words  of  social,  graceful  utterances,  coming  from  the  fountain 
of  pure  thought,  become  not  only  gracious,  but  divine. 

In  the  15th  century,  jests,  opinions  and  bon-mots  spoken  in  conversa- 
tion by  men  of  genius  were  published  and  transmitted  to  posterity. 
Giles  Menage  met  with  assemblies  of  literary  men,  and  wrote  their  say- 
ings which  were  published  in  1693,  and  all  admirers  of  genuine  wit  and 
deep  thought,  love  the  published  literary  conversations  of  Horace  Wal- 
pole,  and  the  table  talk  of  Selden.  While  men  of  colloquial  eloquence 
thus  give  to  the  world  thoughts  worthy  remembrance,  may  not  mothers 
and  sisters  in  their  ''Table  Talk"'  at  their  social  gatherings,  teach  the 


15 

world  rh;it  tluMe  is  a  power  nnd  sweetness  in  words  spoken  from  the 
full  heart  and  pnre  lite  ol  cnltivated  womanhood V  And  will  not  Cor- 
inthians acknowledge  that  snch  i)Ower  and  sweetness  are  fonnd  in 
our  social  gatherings?  And  to  which  will  not  cultured  man  give  his 
presence? 

For  many  years  after  the  town  was  incorpoi-ated,  political  and  sec- 
tional strife  was  unknown.  JJonesty  and  ahility  were  the  requisite 
qualitications  for  ofhce ;  and  for  positions  of  trusu  candidates  were  se- 
lected with  that  caie  that  the  nuistei"  builder  culls  from  his  lumber 
the  titting  timbers  for  his  editice.  and  that  man  would  have  blushed 
if  found  intriguing  for  position  by  bargain  or  deception.  But  a  change 
came.  During  the  presidential  canvass  in  which  John  Adams.  General 
Jackson.  ^V.  11.  Ciawford  and  Henry  Clay  were  candidates,  the  doc- 
ti-ii.e— that  --the  spoils  belonged  to  the  victors/*  and  he  who  did  most 
for  his  party  deserved  largely  from  his  party  the  offices  and  emolu- 
UKMits  within  his  i)arty's  gifts — became  the  doctrine  of  tlie    nniltitudes. 

He  who  had  formerly  been  favorably  regarded  for  the  raising  two 
blad'.s  of  grass  wheie  but  one  had  previously  grown,  was  considered 
an  idiot,  when  compared  with  him  who  could  deposit  two  votes  for 
his  party  where  only  one  honest  vote  was  due.  Men,  honest  in  all 
tilings  else,  were  seldom  truthful  in  political  matters;  and  men  who 
would  attempt  to  stay  the  breeze  of  political  fraud  soon  found  them- 
selves contending  with  volcanic  matter,  lava  and  political  gases. 

Conservative  men  predicted  disastrous  effects  from  the  ''spoil  sys- 
tem," and  with  long  reaching  prophetic  eye  saw  Immaii  beings  sow- 
ing broadcast,  discord,  fraud  and  demoralization,  and,  as  "'coming  events 
cast  t!  eir  shadows  before,"  may  it  not  be  imagined  that  the  forms  thus 
seen  were  a  Conkling  or  a  Cuiteau? 

While  we  have  under  consideration  such  matters  as  pertain  to  the  inter- 
ests of  the  community,  we  cannot  refrain  from  alluding  to  malaria, 
which  physicians  of  well  earned  fame  declare  ''the  angel  of  destruction." 
Few  people  are  aware  of  the  extent  to  which  malaria  affects  us.  It  is 
the  source  of  more  than  half  of  the  diseases  to  which  th-e  human  race  is 
subject,  and  more  than  half  the  mortality  which  depopulates  our  com- 
munity. From  works  published  in  1827,  by  the  learned  physician,  Dr. 
James  M'Culloch,  and  other  distinguished  physicians,  we  have  derived 
facts  and  reasonings  deeply  interesting  to  every  man  in  the  communitj\ 
and  to  such  works  w^e  call  the  attention  of  our  reading  community. 
With  us,  malaria  is  most  active  in  the  months  of  July,  August  and  Sep- 
tember, producing  dropsy,  obstructions  of  the  liver  and  spleen,  hebeta- 
ting the  intellect,  causing  general  lassitude,  rheumatism  and  dj^spepsia. 
Not  that  these  disorders  do  not  in  many  cases  originate  from  other  causes, 
but  that  they  are  in  many  instances  fully  ascribable  to  the  eflfects  of  ma- 
laria. Dr.  Fodrie  in  his  excellent  treatise  observes  that  malaria  stints 
and  debilitates  the  population,  even  where  there  is  no  particular  disease. 
The  times,  seasons,  places  and  circumstances  where  malaria  is  found, 
are  the  same  as  where  insects  abound.  Insects  are  of  all  sizes  from  the 
largest  to  the  myriads  of  various  kinds,  which  nothing  but  the  most 
powerful  microscope  can  exhibit  to  our  sight.  But  large  or  small,  the 
laws  of  their  production  are  the  same.  Malaria  originates  in  low 
grounds,  where  vegetables  having  grown,  die  and  putrefy,  and  where  the 
air  IS  impregnated  with  animalculce.  Dry  air  is  never  a  conductor  of  mi- 
asma ;  fires  in  the  morning  and  evening  accompanied  with  smoke,  destroy 
both  insects  and  malaria. 


16 

There  is  in  like  m:mn«u-.  niul  more  to  be  dreaded  in  society,  n  mental 
malaria,  origiiiatintr  in  low  and  uneultivated  minds,  where  diseased  and 
half  grown  putrefying  thonghts  create  infections,  morbid  matt<-i'.  and  the 
miasma    air,  poisoning  the  scenes  of  mental  and  social  happy  life. 

In  districts  thus  infested,  peace  soon  departs— strife  of  words  and 
false  accusations  become  the  circulating  medium  of  <  xpression— the 
slanderer  becomes  a  walking  pestilence,  the  evil  minded  give  gieedy  (>ar 
to  falsehoods,  and  the  oily  tongue  of  the  defamer  finds  constant  employ- 
ment. 

****** 

In  1830,  without  previous  announcement,  a  small  four  paged  monthly 
newspaper,  called  the  i¥i>ror  and  pnri)orting  to  be  published  in  Corinth, 
was  widely  distributed  tin-ough  the  town.  From  the  tone  of  its  pub- 
lished articles,  it  was  readily  ascertained  that  its  objects  vvere  to  make 
odious  the  abuse  of  the  faculty  of  speech,  and  while  profane  language 
and  falsehood  wtre  treated  as  evils,  demanding  the  censure  of  all  persons 
scandal  received  the  scathing  denunciations  of  a  pen.  sharp  as  a  serpent's 
tooth,  and  as  keenly  felt  as  the  sting  of  the  wasp.  The  sheet  was  small, 
but  the  presuming  juvenile  editor  who  was  called  the  Porcupine,  averred 
his  ability  to  show  it  was  the  contents  of  a  paper  which  made  the  paper 
great,  while,  with  artistic  skill  he  made  each  issue  a  moving  picture  of 
the  passing  day.  If  there  were  any  fearing  that  the  flood  gates  of  scan- 
dal might  be  raised,  and  a  quiet  people  inundated  with  tales  of  falsehood 
"strange  and  vile."  these  fears  were  soon  allayed,  for  a  forced  change 
came — words  became  ashamed  longer  to  run  shallow  and  ceased  to  be 
such,  and  conversation  was  no  longer  mere  babbling  surface  of  impure 
waters— scandal  stopped— and  so  did  the  Mirror.  'Tis  said  the  Por- 
cupine lives. 

From  the  northerly  line  of  the  town,  and  running  in  a  south  easterly 
direction  to  Kenduskeag,  are  five  main  roads : 

First — From  Exeter  nearly  on  the  line  between  Corinth  (Ohio  Settle- 
ment) and  Levant  to  Kenduskeag. 

Second — From  Exeter  through  Eddy  and  Skinner  settlements  to  Ken- 
duskeag. 

Third — From  Charleston  through  East  Corinth  to  Kenduskeag. 

Between  these  two  last  named  roads,  runs  the  Kenduskeag  Stream. 

Fourth — From  Charleston  through  East  Ridge  to  Kenduskeag. 

Fifth — From  Charleston  through  the  Farrar  settlement,  intersecting 
with  roads  leading  to  Kenduskeag. 

These  are  well  made  roads,  and  are  the  leading  avenues  to  Bangor. 
Other  roads  are  intersecting  or  town  roads  and  that  mostly  traveled  is 
the  cross  road, — so  called — established  in  1819,  leading  from  Smith's 
Corner,  East  Corinth,  in  a  westerly  direction,  crossing  the  stream,  and 
thence  to  Coilnth.  Skinner  settlement.  From  this  cross  road,  com- 
mencing near  the  bridge  over  the  Kenduskeag  stream,  and  still  nearer 
the  entrance  of  the  Pierre  Paul  brook  with  the  stream,  and  running 
nearly  parallel  with  the  same,  is  a  road  leading  through  a  farming 
neighborhood  prolific  in  hay  crops,  and  terminating  at  a  road  running 
between  Corinth  and  Kenduskeag,  and  near  the  residence  of  Andrew  G. 
Fitz. 

East  Corinth  Academy  was  built  in  1843.  The  Legislature  of  1848,  at 
its  summer  session,  donated  for  said  Academy,  h  township  of  land.  For 
six  3'^ears  now  last  past,  Mr.  David  Fletcher  has  been  principal,  and  his 
present  assistant  is  Miss  M.  E.  Mathews.    The  school  is  well  patronized. 


17 

Corinth  Cheese  mikI  Camiiii«:  Fiictory's  Association  was  organized  in 
1874.  Jn  town  there  are  six  eider  mills,  making  in  all  abont  1200  bbls  of 
cider  annually.  The  motive  power  of  the  mill  recently  built  by  Wilbur 
K.  Clark  is  steam,  with  an  engine  of  sufficient  power  to  drive  saws,  mills 
for  grinding  grain,  planing  lumber,  and  making  cider. 

The  new  Tovm  if<>?^sr,  just  completed,  is  an  imposing  edifice,  costing  as 
a  whole,  about  .5'5.200.  On  the  ground  floor  is  the  Town  Hall,  especially 
adapted  to  the  town's  wants,  costing  the  town  $2,200.  On  the  second 
floor  i  a  large  Hall  built  by  the  Corinthian  Lodge  of  I.  O.  O.  F..  ad- 
mirably constructed,  well  tinished  and  furnished,  costing  the  Lodge 
.'^8,000.  The  Lodge  mnnbers  about  100  members.  Regular  meetings  in 
the  Hall  evei'y  Wfnlnesday  evening. 

There  are  two  societies  <  f  Good  Templars  in  town.  That  in  Corinth — 
the  Ivy  Lodg«'— contains  50  members — meet  every  Saturday  evening  at 
their  own  Hall.  Anchor  Lodge ^in  East  Corinth,  containing  between  one 
and  two  hundred  members,  meet  in  Grange  Hall  evej-y  Monday  evening. 
While  it  is  believed  that  these  societies  do  much  goof  for  the  cause  of 
tem]>erance,  it  is  evident  they  produce  much  social  enjoyment. 

In  1875  the  Pations  of  Husbandry  established  the  Orient  Grange  in 
Corinth.  J^enioi-  (  harlcs  (lark  was  flrst  Worthy  Master.  At  its  com- 
mencement its  numbers  were  few,  and  for  several  .vears  its  growth  M'as 
tardy;  yet  those  loving  its  principles  were  untiring  in  their  eflbrts  to 
sustain  an  institution  which  piomised  the  growth  and  culture  of  the  hu- 
man miiid.  For  this  they  worked  as  works  the  philanthropist  and  the 
christian,  believing  that  faith  and  works  in  a  good  cause  would  eventu- 
ally be  rewarded,  and  so  it  proved.  To-day  the  Grange  numbers  between 
one  and  two  hundred,  and  those  who  entered  doubting  are  now  happy  in 
knoicing  that  sympathetic  and  fraternal  intercourse  with  the  laws  of  mind 
and  the  great  truths  of  nature  will  give  to  the  inquiring  human  soul 
wondrous  growth. 

Membei's  have  learned  that  the  Grange  is  not  a  place  for  the  lazy  of 
brain,  or  the  sluggard  in  thought;  that  it  is  a  mental  working  institution, 
and  while  it  has  hours  of  pleasant  recreation,  it  has  working  hours,  hours 
of  study,  deep  thought,  where  pure  expression,  oral  and  written,  are 
only  practical  lessons  that  initiate  them  into  the  great  millennial  lan- 
guage of  a  coming  period,  where  falsehood  and  rough  words  will  be  un- 
known, and  unkindness  will  lose  its  name  among  men.  The  Grange 
meets  every  Saturday  evening  at  Grange  Hall. 

The  Penobscot  Central  AgriculturaL Society  hold  their  annual  exhibi- 
tions and  fair  generally  on  grounds  of  Mr.  John  Morrison,  near  Hunting's 
tavern  in  East  Corinth,  using  the  large  hall  connected  with  the  public 
house  for  an  agricultural  hall  during  show  days.  These  shows  exhibit 
in  miniature  the  energy  of  the  farming  community  and  the  handy  work 
of  wives  and  daughtei's. 

During  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  Henry  W.  Palmer  enlisted  in  Compa- 
ny H,  31st  Regiment  Maine  Volunteers,  and  in  the  battle  at  the  Wilder- 
ness lost  his  entire  right  arm.  On  the  same  day  of  amputation  on  the 
field,  he  travelled  on  foot  sixteen  miles  to  the  nearest  hospital.  He  is 
now  at  the  home  of  his  boyhood,  a  lover  of  books,  has  a  large  library, 
caring  for  his  parents,  and  with  his  younger  brother,  Cliftbrd  E.  Palmer, 
manages  the  farm  made  by  their  father.  Mason  S.  Palmer,  more  than 
half  a  century  ago. 

From  the  commencement  of  farming  to  about  the  year  1845,  the  pine 
and  the  cedar  were  seemingly  doomed  to  extermination.  The  ordinary 
pine  gave  boards,  clapboards  and  shingles  for  the  outside  completion  of 


18 

every  biiildiiig,  while  that  of  u  better  quality  fnrnislietl  inaterifil  for  in- 
side finish ;  and  while  tiie  devout  builder  of  his  own  h')use,  for  his  even- 
ing devotions  read  from  tlie  J5eriptures  tiie  words  of  the  King  to  Xatiian, 
tlie  Prophet,  '"See,  now  1  dwell  in  a  house  of  cedar."  this  fai  mer  of  hum- 
ble pretensions  exclaims.  ''See.  t  o.  I  dwei)  in  a  house  of  pine."'  Bur  the 
great  demand  for  shingles  caused  farmers  to  lay  waste  the  cedais  on  their 
low  lands,  converting  those  of  fitting  size  and  straight  of  rift  into  mer- 
chandise. For  many  yt-ars,  farmers  spent  their  winters  in  shingle  mak- 
ing. This  made  wanton  havoc  with  the  cedars  of  the  forest,  and  tree- 
tops  thickly  scattered  gave  the  appearance  of  waste.  But  within  a  few 
years  the  down  timber,  still  generally  sound,  is  finding  its  Mppropriate 
place  in  fencing  the  farms  of  the  husbandman,  thus  keeping  cattle  within 
the  well  fenced  boimdaries  of  ownership. 

Mr.  Z.  McKusic,  a  fence  builder,  has  made  in  town,  within  the  last  ten 
years,  as  by  memoi-andiun  by  him  kept,  eleven  miles  and  one  hundred 
atid  thirty  rods  of  cedar  fence. 

Until  recently,  the  ceda'-  has  not  been  duly  appreciated.  Cedar  wood, 
as  noticed  in  Leviticus,  was  prescribed  among  the  materials  used  for  the 
cleansing  of  leprosy.  The  fourscore  thousand  hewers  employed  by  Sol- 
omon for  cutting  timber,  robbed  Lebanon  of  its  glor}-;  and  instead  of 
regretting  that  we  have  no  Solomon  among  us.  of  lavish  pi-oclivities,  we 
are  happy  in  saying  that  in  our  swamps  and  lovv  lands  we  h  ive  a  second 
growing  of  cedar. 

Andrew  Strong,  one  of  Corinth's  most  prominent  men  and  one  of  her 
early  settlers,  was  a  man  of  unusual  capacities,  was  a  surveyor  of  land, 
and  being  appointed  the  agent  of  Benjamin  Joy.  Esq..  the  principal  pro- 
prietor of  the  town,  nearly  all  the  sales  of  land  wei-e  made  by  him ;  and 
while  he  faithfully  performed  the  duties  of  Agent,  in  no  single  instance 
has  it  appeared  that  he  lost  sight  of  the  interests  of  his  townsmen.  Mr. 
Strong  for  many  years  was  one  of  the  municipal  officers  of  the  town — 
laid  out  her  roads  and  was  generally  foremost  in  all  matters  pertaining 
to  her  interests,  and  in  1S19  was  chosen  delegate  to  meet  in  convention 
for  the  forming  a  constitution  of  the  State  of  Maine.  In  1S35  Mr.  Strong 
became  blind  and  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  pupil,  Andrew  G.  Fitz,  the 
unfinished  public  business  Of  his  life,  delivering  him  his  compass  and 
surveying  apparatus,  his  minutes,  memoranda  and  field  notes,  which  are 
complete  from  1808  to  1835.  Thus  the  compass  and  chain  long  used  by 
Mr,  Strong,  are  now  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Fitz.  and  still  used  with  that 
care  and  ability  which  distinguished  the  character  of  Corinth's  veteran 
surveyor. 

Doctor  ^ William  I*eabody  was  the  first  educated  physician  in  town.  The 
Dr.  was  born  in  Boxford,  Mass.,  January  10, 1768,  received  his  education 
n  B y field,  Mass. :  studied  medicine  with  Dr.  Skimier,  of  Brewer;  was 
surgeon  in  the  war  of  1812;  was  at  the  battle  in  Hampden;  commenced 
practice  in  Corinth  in  1812;  was  a  successful  physician  and  a  worthy  and 
liighly  respected  citizen;  died  December  14,  1857.  There  was  a  particu- 
lar instance  in  the  doctor's  medical  practice  which  history  (for  the  con- 
sideration of  present  physicians)  deems  worthy  of  record :  After  pre- 
scribing for  a  patient  evidently  very  sick,  the  doctor  found  that  the 
medicine  administered  had  no  effect  upon  the  disease,  and  for  a  long  time 
he  studiously  labored  to  reach  the  case  of  the  sick  man,  but  the  disease 
was  refractory,  yielding  in  no  wise  to  the  doctor's  medicinal  curatives ; 
in  short,  the  doctor  saw  and  honestly  admitted  he  did  not  understand  the 
nature  of  the  complaint ;  yet  the  patient,  being  a  man  of  strong  constitu- 
tion,  recovered.     For  his  services  the  doctor  refused  compensation, 


19 

alleging  that  no  physician  should  receive  pay  for  treating  a  disease 
which  was  beyond  iiis  reading  and  research  I 

Doctor  Jared  Fuller  came  to  Corinth  in  1832,  at  which  time  he  com- 
menced practice  as  a  physician;  was  generally  successful  in  his  profes- 
sion ;  was  moderate  in  his  charges,  kind  to  the  poor  and  circumspect  in 
all  his  social  relations,  lie  served  one  term  in  the  State  Legislature; 
was  twice  of  the  Governor's  Council.  In  18(58  he  was  chairman  of  a 
committee  to  investigate  charges  preferred  against  th«  Insane  Asylum; 
was,  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  October  6,  1878,  Postmaster  at  East  Cor- 
inth. While  one  of  the  municipal  officers  of  the  town,  the  only  charge 
bi'ought  against  his  official  duties  was  his  universal  kindness  to  the  town''s 
poor  ! 

Doctor  Jason  Huckins  graduated  at  Castleton.  Vt.,  Medical  College, 
Novembei",  1809:  commenced  practice  in  Corinth,  June,  1860;  entered 
military  service  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the  22d  Regiment  Maine  Volun- 
teers in'  August.  1862.  and  served  one  year  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf, 
principally  in  Louisiana.  Since  his  return  from  military  service  as  a  sur- 
geon, he  has  been  in  full  practice  in  Corinth  and  its  vicinity.  His  resi- 
dence is  in  East  Corinth. 

C.  S.  Philbrick,  Homa'opathic  Physician  and  Surgeon,  resides  at  East 
Corinth. 

VV.  F.  Johnson.  Dentist,  has  an  office  in  East  Corinth. 

Eliab  hhaw.  Veterinary  Surgeon,  resides  near  ThisselPs  Mills. 

Charles  Megquier  keeps  drugs  and  a  full  assortment  of  medicines  at 
his  store  in  East  ('orinth. 

Charles  Edmunds  keeps  on  hand  a  large  assortment  of  coffins  in  East 
Corinth 

Town  hearse  in  East  Corinth. 

Major  Ora  Oakman  w^as  born  in  Bangor,  Nov.  12. 1809,  died  in  Corinth, 
April  12,  1872.  In  early  boyhood,  with  his  father's  family,  he  came  to 
Corinth  (Ohio  Settlement),  labored  on  his  father's  farm  during  Spring, 
Sunnner  and  Autumn  months,  and  attended  the  town  school  during  Win- 
ter. Young  Oakman  easil}'  accomplished  any  study  he  undertook,  and 
resolved  to  study  himself  as  he  would  study  a  problem  in  algebra,  and 
thus  make  himself  a  proficient  in  all  matters  within  the  province  of  self- 
taught  human  attainments.  The  bird  of  song  in  the  hedge  taught  him 
the  love  of  music,  hence  he  studied  music.  But  it  was  in  the  branches 
of  education  taught  in  our  common  schools  that  he  applied  the  energies 
of  studious  thought.  To  teach  others  what  he  had  learned  himself,  was 
mere  pastime.  In  the  school  room  he  was  perfectly  at  home — his  man- 
ner was  imposing  and  dignified,  and  as  a  disciplinarian  no  teacher  ex- 
celled him.  Order  in  the  school  room  was  the  first  thing  in  order.  No 
scholar  cared  to  be  otherwise  than  orderly  in  his  presence.  Although  a 
practical  farmer,  he  taught  forty  town  schools  and  sixty  singing  schools. 
His  name  and  character  were  synonymous — he  was  an  Oak-man,  showing 
at  all  times  the  grain  of  the  wood  without  a  blemish,  and  that  he  was 
'•Live  Oak"  was  evident  from  his  active  life.  He  earned  much  money, 
but  his  liberalitj^  exceeded  usual  bounds.  Four  Oaken  sons  survive  the 
fallen  Oak.  and  all  are  musicians. 

The  citizens  of  Corinth,  ever  loving  the  remembrance  of  their  heroic 
dead  who  fought  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  now  most  respectfully  give 
to  history  the  names  of  those  killed  in  battle,  or  who  died  from  w^ounds 
received  or  disease  contracted  in  the  army. 

In  life  they  were  our  loved  ones ;  by  death  they  are  embalmed^  and  live  in 
our  thoughts  forever. 


20 

George  B.  F.  llosmer.  Junjes  Stevens. 

Stillmin  Gnpp.y.  Henry  J.  Hurd- 

Aiistin  W.  VVhi'ttier.  Moses  W.  Fiske. 

VVni.  FI.  Herrick.  Georu^e  VV.  Hunl. 

*Eli  W.  Parkinaii.  Aaron   Flonston. 

Andrew  J.  Whittier.  C.  AutriKtus  Kesor. 

Sumner  S.  Bean.  Z.  Taylor  Reynolds. 

Eufus  H.  Gilinan.  Israel   Hodsdon. 

Henry  C.  Heald.  John  Havn. 

Chester  Pearson.  Allen  Hnnrino-. 

David  B.  Herrick.  Frank  Ronndy. 

Josiah  M.  Whittier.  John  Hunting-. 
Levi  Stevens.                                       .  Isaac  R.  \V^)rth. 

Alfred  W.  Warren.  Chester  M.  H  rrick. 

Nathan  Chamberlain.  Henry  D.  Fuller. 

Asa  H.  Sawyer.  Alonzo  Batcheliler, 

Charles  A.  Whittier.  Cvrus  Perkins. 

Edgar  Sargent.  Walter  A*  Crowell. 

Evander  C.  Curtis.  Benjainin  Crowell. 

Henry  Lyford.  Thomas  F.  Hincklev. 

Newell  J.  Bradley.  William  Eddy. 

Fred  J.  Rollins.  Stephen  Barker. 

On  the  easterlj^  side  of  Kenduskeag  Stream  and  runin'iig  nearly  in  a 
southerly  direction,  as  runs  the  stream,  and  nearly  parallel  with  the  road 
on  the  westerly  side,  is  a  road  leading  to  Robieville.  near  Kenduskeag's 
northerly  line,  at  which  place  there  is  an  excellent  water  privilege, 
owned  and  recently  occupied  by  Mr.  Clark  Hersey.  Here  the  stream  is 
spanned  by  a  covered  bridge  which  gives  Robieville  a  business-like 
aspect.  By  changing  the  starting  point  on  the  road  last  named,  and 
proceeding  in  a  northerlj'^  direction  from  Robieville.  and  crossing  the 
road  leading  from  East  Corinth  to  Corinth,  you  so  mi  find  yourself  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  saw  mill  and  shingle  mill  on  the  waters  of  the  Crooked 
Brook,  owned  by  the  heirs  of  Mr.  John  Thissell.  At  this  place  the  mills 
were  built  by  Deacon  John  Hunting.  A  short  distance  from  these  mills, 
but  situated  upon  the  waters  of  the  Kenduskeag,  are  the  saw  mill,  shingle 
mill  and  grist  mill  owned  and  occupied  by  Messrs.  McGregors.  All  the 
above  named  mills  have  done,  and  are  now  in  condition  of  doing  good 
work. 

In  the  vicinity  of  these  mills,  farmers  are  tilling  a  soil  of  easy  cul- 
ture, and  very  productive.  A  pleasant  road  leading  from  East  Cor- 
hith,  and  passing  near  the  ''Corinthian  cemetery,"  crosses  the  Crooked 
Brook  and  the  Kenduskeag  stream,  and  branches  in  divei-se  directions. 

There  are  in  town  four  Post  Offices,  each  supplied  with  a  daily  mail. 
Isaac  Hodsdon  was  the  first  Post  Master  in  Corinth. 
Elbridge  H.  Bragdon  present  Post  Master  in  Corinth. 
David  A.  Gove  first  Post  Master  in  East  Corinth. 
Timothy  McDonald  present  Post  Master  in  East  Corinth. 
Humphrey  Nichols  present  Post  Master  in  South  Corinth. 
Thomas  Haynes  present  Post  Master  in  West  Corinth. 

From  the  report  of  General  John  L.  Hodsdon,  formerly  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral of  the  State,  the  following  extracts  of  Military  Biographies  of  Col. 
George  Fuller,  Lieutenant  H.  D.  Fuller  and  Sergeant  Israel  Hodsdon  are 
gleaned. 

♦Parkman  lived  in  Charleston,  but  buried  with  Corinth's  dead. 


21 

l/icuteiiaiit  Coloiu'l  George  Fuller  enlisted  as  a  j)rivate  on  the  2Uh  of 
April.  1801,  ill  a  company  raised  in  Corinth,  of  which  he  was  elected 
Lieutenant,  and  which  became  Company  H.  6th  Regiment,  and  subse- 
quently elejted  Captain,  and  was  mustered  in  with  his  Regiment  July 
15th.  1861.  and  on  April  24th.  1864.  was  promoted  Lieutenant  Colonel 
and  was  in  many  battles.  In  the  battle  of  GarnelPs  Farm,  he  was  struck 
in  the  breast  tjy  a  spent  ball;  at  Rappahannock  Station  his  horse  was 
killed  under  him.  his  sword  shot  ofl'.  and  In;  wounded  and  carried  from 
the  held.  After  being  in  the  service  of  his  country  thirt5Miine  months, 
he  tendered  his  resignation,  and  was  honorably  mustered  uut. 

TJeutenant  Henry  D  Fuller  of  Corinth  entered  the  service  in  March, 
1864.  as  Second  Lieutenant  in  Baker's  District  of  Columbia  Cavalry.  He 
served  with  his  regiment  in  the  Army  of  the  James  under  General  But- 
ler, and  in  October.  1864,  when  he  wjis  captured  by  the  enemy  at  the  bat- 
tle of  Cox's  Mills,  and  remained  in  prison  until  December  of  that  year. 
In  the  meantime  his  regiment  had  been  consolidated  with  the  1st  Maine 
Cavalry,  and  after  his  release  Ih^  joined  that  regiment  for  duty  as  2nd 
Lieutenant  of  Company  B,  and  served  in  that  capacity  with  great  credit 
till  the  close  of  the  war.  In  the  last  campaign  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  he  was  severely  wounded.  After  the  surrender  of  Lee,  he  was 
detailed  on  provost  duty  at  Petersburgh,  Virginia,  for  four  months  and 
was  mustered  out  of  service  with  his  regiment  in  August.  1868. 

Sergeant  Israel  Hodsdon  of  Company  H.  6th  Maine  Volunteers  of  Cor- 
inth, aged  25  years,  son  of  Nathan  Hodsdon.  was  mortaUy  wounded  in 
the  battle  of  Rappahannock  Station  on  the  7th  day  of  November,  1863, 
and  died  during  his  removal  from  the  battle-tield  to  Washington.  His 
remains  were  embalmed  by  order  of  his  Captain,  and  sent  to  his  home  in 
Corinth. 

Chauncey  Cochrane,  the  son  of  James  Cochrane  Jr..  was  born  at  Pem- 
broke, N.  H.,  Nov.  24th,  1801;  was  married  Nov.  26th,  1828,  to  Sarah 
Cochrane  of  the  same  place.  In  June.  1833,  Mrs.  Cochrane,  the  wife  of 
the  said  Chauncey.  was  murdered  by  a  young  man  named  Prescott,  who, 
upon  being  convicted,  suffered  the  penalty  of  the  law.  Receiving  a  se- 
vere blow  upon  the  head,  Mr.  Cochrane  barely  escaped  the  fate  of  his 
wife.  Suftering  deeply  from  the  tragic  death  of  the  wife,  with  two  small 
children  he  sought  a  home  in  Maine,  and  in  1834  commenced  business  as 
a  trader  in  East  Corinth.  In  February,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Maria  Gay,  of  New  London,  N.  H.  By  this  marriage  he  had  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  two  sons  and  three  daug-^hters  are  now  living.  Owing  to 
ill  health  in  1851  he  abandoned  trade  and  engaged  in  farming,  in  which 
he  has  been  very  successful.  Being  a  practical  business  man,  and  having 
the  confidence  of  his  townsmen,  he  was  often  in  town  business,  and  in 
1851-2  was  elected  a  member  of  our  State  Legislature.  Mr.  Cochrane  is  of 
Scotch  descent.  His  great-grandfather  came  from  the  south  of  Scotland 
and  settled  in  Pembroke,  N.  H.,  before  its  incorporation.  His  grand- 
father, James  Cochrane,  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  Chauncey 
Cochran  interested  himself  much  for  schools  and  the  ministry,  and  the 
well  educated  and  religiously  inclined  family  of  his  own  household  tells 
of  the  wonderful  success  of  his  home  teaching ;  and  those  who  have  loved 
the  reading  of  Scottish  history,  and  the  singing  of  "Auld  Lang  Syne,"  by 
Robert  Burns,  will  love  them  the  more  by  an  mtimate  acquaintance  with 
the  Cochrane  family. 

Mr.  James  Knowles,  who  for  many  years  was  the  popular  landlord  of 
the  Parker  House,  has  taken  possession  of  his  private  residence,  which, 
for  structure  and  fine  finish  is  unsurpassed  in  our  county,  and,  while  the 


22 

community  have  perfect  coiitideiice  in  liis*  successor.  Mr.  J.  Wesley 
Hunting,  yet  the  ever  cht-erful  face  of  ourhite  host  will  long  he  missed, 
hy  those  who  h)ved  his  words  of  kinihiess.a  d  his  prompt  action  in  hehalf 
of  all  asking  his  assistance.  The  pr<  sent  landlord  has  made  improve- 
ments, and  liis  four-horse  mail  stage  coach  leaves  for  Bangor  every 
day  at  six  a.  m.,  returning,  arrives  at  six  i'.  M. 

The  many  years  that  Ex-Governor  Davis  and  his  brother.  Ira  VV.  Da- 
vis were  Counsellors  and  Attorneys  in  town,  demonstrated  the  fact  that 
lawyers  may.  at  all  times,  strictly  perform  all  the  requiiements  of  the 
law.  toward  all  parties,  and  at  the  sanu-  time  be  lovers  of  peace— pure  in 
thought  and  action,  so  essential  to  the  vital  interests  of  the  community. 

The  first  efforts  to  establish  Salibath  Schools  were  made  in  18;]2  by 
Deacon  Stephen  Dexter,  and  Miss  Elma  Merrick,  to  which  Mrs.  John  To- 
zier.  now  eighty-six  years  of  age.  contributed  valuable  books. 

In  1850  Corinth  contained  1600  souls;  in  1800,  1800  souls;  in  1870,1402 
souls;  in  1880.  i;:83  souls. 

Ever  <ince  Maine  became  a  State,  her  citizens  have  complained  of  the 
injustice  done  the  grand  old  Pine,  as  represented  in  the  device  of  our 
State  Seal,  and  a  citizen  of  Corinth  forwarded  the  following  petition  to 
the  Legislature,  which  was  respectfully  received  and  read  to  the  Senate. 

To  the  Honorable  Senate  and  House  of  Beprestntatires  of  Maine,  in  Legis- 
lature assembled : 

lieppcctfully  represents  j'our  petioner.  a  citizen  of  the  town  of  Cor- 
inth, in  the  County  of  Penobscot  and  State  of  Maine,  that  more  than  half 
a  centurj'  ago  he  was  permitted  to  enjoy  his  first  remembered  outlook 
upon  the  dense  forests  of  the  ''•Pine  Tree  State;" — that  his  early  dom- 
licile,  and  the  rocking  cradle  of  his  infancy,  were  alike  made  of  the  flesh 
colored  pines  so  bountifully  interspeised  throughout  our  groves  and 
woodlands; — that  while  his  nursing  childhood  drew  mitriment  from  its 
surroundings,  producing  enlargement  from  what  it  fed  upon,  the  bal- 
samic properties  of  the  pine  permeated  the  entire  make  up  of  his  com- 
plex nature — manhood  and  pinehood. 

The  marvellous  beauty  of  a  pine  grown  upon  the  soil  of  Norridgewock 
in  our  State,  one  hundred  and  ftfty  feet  in  length  and  four  and  one-half 
feet  in  diameter,  while  little  Liberty  in  Waldo  County,  competing  for  the 
mastery  in  tree  growing,  gave  a  pine  seven  feet  at  stiunp,  making  ten 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  feet  of  square  edged  boards,  claimed  the 
admiration  of  your  petitioner's  juvenile  life;  and  while  his  nursery  tales 
partook  largely  of  mythology  and  fable,  it  was  not  difficult  to  believe 
that  at  a  Congress  of  'J'rees,  the  dimpled  e3^e  of  the  bird's  eyed  maple, 
clearly  saw  the  coming  popularity  of  the  majestic  pine,  and  secured  an 
honest  Congressional  vote,  declaring  her  the  queen  of  the  woods,  at 
which  all  the  pines,  with  waving  branches  invoked  the  gentle  winds  of 
the  breathing  hill,  thus  chanting  a  melody  so  soft  and  plaintively  sweet, 
that  Orpheus  ceased  his  notes,  and  dancing  trees  gave  listening  ear  to 
the  Te  Deum  Laudamns  of  the  worshipping  pfne — a  music  sw^eeter  than 
breathings  of  harp  or  lute,  until  woodlands  felt  the  influence  of  the  re- 
ligion of  the  forest,  and  the  inspired  poet  wrote,  -'The  groves  were  God's 
first  Temple. 

And  while  thus  entranced  with  the  pine  and  its  worship,  the  historical 
readings  of  your  petitioner  taught  him,  that  as  early  as  the  17th  century, 
good  mother  Massachusetts  so  loved  the  gold  in  the^  mine  and  the  pine  in 
forest,  that  she  stamped  the  gold  with  the  figure  of  the  pine,  giving  it  a 
currency  known  as  Pine  Tree  Money ;  and  while  he  loved  the  current 
coin,  and  hoping  for  its  plenteous  accumulations,  coming  years  brought 


• 


23 

nnticipnted  niaiiliood  and  Maine's  Governor  honored  yonr  petitioner  with 
a  commission  bearing  the  seal  of  the  State.  Then  the  eye  fell  sadly  up- 
on the  meager  bush  representing  the  pine  of  Maine! — a  nondescript — a 
niere  shrub  withont  majestic  comeliness,  a  forest  fungus! 

All  that  had  been  said  and  written  on  the  beauty  of  the  pine  came  has- 
tilj'  back  and  forced  memory's  doors  for  entrance,  and  your  petioner  sor- 
rowed that  in  early  life  he  had  said  to  one  of  Maine's  fairest  daughters — 
now  his  wife — that  she  was  as  gi'aceful  in  stature  as  the  pine; — at  a  mere 
glance  at  the  bush  on  the  seal,  the  fair  one  declined  the  honor  of  resem- 
blance, preferring  rather  being  the  spruce  giil  of  the  period. 

Sensitively  elieving  that  the  engraved  pine  upon  the  State's  Seal,  in- 
decorously and  strangely  symbolizes  a  meanness  and  dwarfage  no  where 
found  in  Maine's  varied  industries,  judicial  powers  or  legislative  bodies, 
your  petitioner  has  long  hoped  for  a  more  truthful  representation  of 
Maine,  as  she  ks,  engraven,  not  only  upon  memory's  tablets,  but  tittingly 
depicted  in  signet  and  shield. 

To  study  the  pine  as  noiv  engraven  upon  the  seal  of  our  State  for  sem- 
blance of  the  pine  of  our  forests  would  be  as  futile  as  to  read  the  de- 
scription of  animals  in  zoological  cabinets  to  find  the  likeness  of  the 
beast  rising  out  of  the  sea  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  seen  by  John 
the  Eevelator.  Therefore,  and  that  your  memorialist  may  no  longer  pine 
over  the  demoralized  pinery  of  his  State,  he  asks  that  the  seal  now  in  use 
be  at  once  remodeled  and  Ke  Pl^■ED,  and  in  duty  bound  will  ever  pray. 

Corinth,  January,  1879.  Mason  S.  Palmer. 

Mason  S.  Palmer  of  Corinth,  was  born  in  that  town  October  27,  1803 
His  first  remembered  outlook  upon  the  world  was  among  forests,  and 
the  then  recently  felled  trees,  and  small  patches  of  cleared  land  incident 
to  farin  making.  To  this  work  he  devoted  his  days  of  boyhood,  except- 
ing always  such  times  as  he  was  enabled  to  attend  such  schools  as  were 
early  introduced  into  the  township.  In  early  life  he  became  a  teacher, 
and  on  arriving  at  his  majority  was  chosen  superintendent  of  schools. 
He  afterwards  wrote  in  the  various  county  ofltices;  at  a  suitable  age  he 
was  appointed  assistant  Post  Master  at  Bangor,  and  left  that  position 
was  appointed  Register  of  Probate  for  Penobscot  County,  which  office 
he  held  for  many  j^ears.  For  several  years  Mr.  Palmer  had  charge  of 
the  Katahdin  Iron  Works  in  Piscataquis  County,  from  which  he  went 
to  Briggs  Iron  Company,  Berkshire  County  Massachusetts,  as  its  agent, 
where  he  was  engaged  nine  years,  during  which  time  he  served  one  term 
as  a  member  of  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  and  was  also  appointed 
clerk  of  the  court  of  insolvency  for  the  county  of  Berkshire  and  one  of 
the  supervisors  of  schools.  After  suffering  seriously  by  fire,  he  re- 
turned to  his  native  town,  and  at  this  writing,  resides  on  the  farm  in  the 
neighborhood  of  his  birih.  Mr.  Palmer  married  Miss  Mary  Johnson 
Coy,  daughter  of  the  late  Captain  Henry  Coy,  of  Minot,  Maine,  an  offi- 
cer of  the  war  of  1812. 

Hon.  Noah  Barker  was  born  in  Blaisdell  Plantation,  now  Exeter,  Nov. 
14,  1807.  After  receiving  a  common  school  education,  the  Academies  of 
Hampden  and  Foxcroft  gave  him  such  further  suitable  training  as  fitted 
him  for  business  life,  and  he  commenced  surveying  in  1830.  and  has 
surveyed  not  only  the  Northern  parts  of  Maine  into  townships,  but  has  per- 
formed efficient  work  in  New  Hampshire  and  Canada.  After  serving  his 
terrain  the  capacity  of  school  commissioner,  and  several  years  as  select- 
man, he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  in  1837,  1839  and'^in  1855 ;  and  to 
the  Senate  in  1878  and  1879 ;     was  also  County  Commissioner  for  several 


u 

years  and  State  Land  A^ent  1867  and  1859.  He  married  Temperance  B- 
Eddy  in  1839,  and  in  185(3  settled  in  the  place  once  o(;cnpied  by  Wil- 
liam Eddy,  Esq.  Kecently  Mr.  Barker  lias  removed  to  Exeter. his  son  Wil- 
liam now  occupying  the  farm  firstly  known  as  the  Simpson  Farm,  then 
William  Eddy,  afterwards  Noah  Barker  and  now  William  Barker. 

Henry  L.  Pearson,  was  born  in  Warren.  Maine  Jan  3. 1805.  He  mar- 
ried Knthy  Dntton.  daughter  of  James  Dntton  who  died  while  she  was 
.an  infant,  she  was  bronglit  np  by  the  Hon.  S.  E.  Dntton,  of  B  iig-or.  and 
having  received  a  good  education  in  early  life  came  to  Corinth  as  a 
teacher,  and  has  successfnlly  tanght  not  only  childhood's  schools ;  bnt 
by  noble  example. tanght  wonjan-hood  dnties  ;  then  wife-hood. then  moth- 
er-hood. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pearson  have  had  ten  children  all  ivtlecting  cred- 
it to  parental  ttachings;  and  the  parents  are  now  spending  a  qniet  old 
age  on  the  beautifnl  farm  they  made  from  the  wilderness,  cared  for  by 
their  son  Mr.  Charles  Pearson  and  his  wife  with  six  children,  two  sons 
and  four  daughters. 

Cliftbrd  W.  shores,  after  beconung  of  age  engaged  in  the  liver}' bus- 
iness in  Waterville — in  1858  settled  on  the  place  he  now  oci;npies.  He 
married  Adesta  Roundy.  daughter  of  John  Boundy,  of  Corinth.  They 
have  two  children;  own  sixty  acres  of  land  in  town,  nndving  a  tine  farm 
and  are  highly  respected  citizeiis. 

William  Spratt  tirst  settled  in  Sebec.  married  Pamelia  Miller,  daughter 
of  Benjamin  Miller,  of  Barnard, Piscataqnis  (.'ounty.  Me.  moved  to  Corinth 
in  1851,  settled  on  the  farm  on  which  he  now  lives  near  tiie  centre  of  the 
town.  But  one  of  his  four  children  now  lives  viz..  Fraidv.  who  resides 
with  his  parents  on  the  homestead  of  about  one  hundred  acres  of  excel- 
lent land,  on  which  are  very  desirable  buildings. 

Humphrey  Nichols  was  born  Jamiary  13,  1807.  married  Marcia  G. 
Tylei',  by  whom  he  had  ten  children;  his  second  wife  was  Hannah 
Lovren,  of  Deering.  New  Hampshire.  Mr.  Nichols  first  settled  where 
he  now  resides;  is  Postmaster  of  South  Coi-inth,  which  olfice  he  has 
filled  most  of  the  time  for  thirty  years.  He  owns  three  hundred  and 
ten  acres  of  land  in  town,  and  thongh  now  seventy  four  j^ears  of  age, 
takes  nuich  interest  in  the  current  events  of  the  day. 

Nathaniel  Smith,  who  came  here  in  1827  from  New  London, NewHamp- 
shire,  and  settled  on  the  farm  he  now  occupies  with  his  son,  George  H. 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  1812.  He  married  Betsey  Herrick, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Herrick,  of  New  London.  Age  has  not  abated  his 
industry  works  on  the  farm  as  a  man  of  less  years. 

George  H.  Smith,  son  of  Nathaniel  Smith  was  born  September  16 
1838.  He  married  Emma  C.  Blanchard,  daughter  of  John  C.  Blanchard 
and  settled  on  the  homestead  about  one  mile  south  of  the  Town  House 
which  is  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres,  holding  the 
ofHce  of  Selectman  of  the  town. and  the  husbandry  of  a  wife, that  ''seeketh 
wool  and  flax,  and  worketh  willingly  with  her  hands,"  They  have  six 
pattern  cliildren. 

Hon.  John  Thissell  was  born  in  Fishersfield,now  called  Newbury,  NeW 
Hampshire,  Dec.  31,  1804.  He  lived  in  N.  H.  until  he  was  twentj'-one 
yearsof  age,  where  he  received  a  common  school  education.  He  came  to 
Corinth  in  1831,  and  settled  on  the  East  Ridge  on  the  farm  now  occupied 
by  Stephen  H.  Worth. 

In  1869  he  purchased  the  farm  in  East  Corinth,  where  he  lived  happi" 
ly  and  pleasantly,  respected  by  all ;  was  one  of  the  Selectmen  for  nearly 
twenty  years.  In  1848  he  was  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature.  In 
1859  and  1860  was  in    the    Senate,   was  a  member  of   the    State  Board 


25 

of,  Agiiculture  for  three  years.  In  1831  he  married  for  his  first  wife  Al- 
lafeeba  B.  liainsdell  a  native  of  Lunenburg.  Massachusetts,  who  died  in 
Corinth  liaving  brought  him  two  children.  Charles  T.,  who  married  Mar- 
riett  Frencii.  of  (Jorinth.and  Henry  W..  wlio  died  in  said  town  at  the  age 
of  twenty-seven  years.  He  afterwards  married  Mrs.  Abby  True,  a  native 
of  Montville.who  was  a  devoted  wife  and  with  whom  he  spent  life's  hap- 
py afternoon.  Mr.  Thissell  was  reseived, not  ambitious  of  talk.but  divine- 
ly reticent.  The  household  lie  so  much  loved  was  enhanced  by  the  pres- 
ence of  his  stepdaughter  Cariie  M.  True  whose  words  ever  fell  happily  on 
his  ear  in  a  home  of  such  stirring  interests  and  inspirations;  our  friend  al- 
ways of  tieep  tiiought  dwelt  upon  the  wonderful  things  which  were  told 
by  the  early  Sheplierds.  and  pondered  them  in  his  heart;  for  the  heart 
is  profounder  than  the  head.  It  is  the  head  that  makes  all  the  shallow 
racket  in  the  world.  It  is  the  head  that  is  comparatively  superficial.  Ft 
is  the  hick  of  the  heart  that  makes  the  hick  of  all  we  lack.  I'o  our  fri  'nd 
Christianity  was  a  matter  of  heait.and  a  matter  of  reason,  and  out  of  the 
heart  came  his  profound  nieditations. 

Our  friend  h»ved  quiet.  Deep  beneath  the  tenipestuous  sea  are  the  still 
waters,  and  there  the  pearls  are  found.  He  was  deeply  Interior — was  not 
wholly  under  tlie  restraint  of  tliu  church — he  pondered  deeply  on  the 
promised  glories  of  another  life ;  and  while  thus  pondering,  entered  that 
life. 

Thomas  G.  Watson  came  from  Farmington,  N.  H.,  in  1823  and  served 
an  apprenticeship  at  the  carpenter  and  millwright  business.  In  1829  he 
married  Miss  Sophia  Came  of  Buxton,  Me.,  worked  at  his  trade  until  1831 
when  he  moved  to  Corinth,  He  has  had  six  children,  buried  two,  one 
killed  in  battle,  the  other  dying  young.  Mr.  Watson  has  held  many  town 
oftices.  and  in  1856,  represeiited  his  town  in  the  Legislature,  but  is  con- 
tent with  being  a  farmer,  and  is  a  remarkably  healthy  man,  having  never 
known  sickness. 

Clark.  Hersey  was  born  January  14. 1806,  and  settled  in  the  south  part 
of  Corinth  in  1832  In  1834  married  Olive  Trefren,  daughter  of  George 
Trefren  of  Salem,  Mass.,  has  had  nine  children,  six  boys  and  three 
girls.  He  moved  to  his  present  farm  in  East  Corinth  in  1869,  owns 
over  three  hundred  acres  of  excellent  land,  and  though  for  many  years 
an  invalid,  he  is  at  all  times  busy,  fully  retaining  his  faculties.'  He 
has  held  important  offices  and  posesses  largely  those  rare  qualities  con- 
stituting a  good  neighbor. 

N.  S.  White  was  born  in  1840  and  married  Miss  Helen  Palmer,  daugh- 
ter of  John  Palmer  of  North  Bangor,  he  settled  in  Corinth  in  1869  on  a 
valuable  farm  in  the  centre  of  the  town  with  good  buildings ;  is  a  lover 
of  agriculture  and  his  home. 

John  Morrison  came  from  Sebec. purchased  the  early  homes  tead  of  the 
late  Stephen  Dexter,  adding  largely  to  its  a<'.res,  number  and  elegance  of 
its  buildings.  Has  filled,  satisfactorily  the  various  positionsassigned  him 
in  the  Senate,  and  House  of  Representatives  and  town  municipalites; 
takes  great  interest  in  all  agricultural  matters,  loves  much  his  house- 
hold, his  farm,  his  oxen  and  the  pine  on  his  timber  lands,  and  without 
murmurs  or  the  making  of  wry  faces  at  his  assessors,  pays  the  largest 
tax  in  town. 

Mellville  C.  Palmer,  youngest  son  of  the  late  Richard  Palmer,  was 
born  June  12. 1822  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Leavitt  daughter  of  Thomas 
Leavitt;  he  purchased  the  farm  first  occupied  by  Deacon  Stephen  Dex- 
ter; made  improvements  on  buildings  already  erected, adding  all  necessa- 
ry outbuildings  including  a  large  and  finely  fiiushed  stable.  They  have  had 
five  children  one  died  in  early  childhood,  and  Mary  H,  lived  to  grow  to 


26 

perfect  womanhood,  and  thus  «^rowin^  grew  deeply  into  the   affection 
of     parents  and   all  who  knew   her.       She  died  recently  aged  26  years. 

Fairfield  M.  the  oldest  son  resides  in  the  west.  Charles  L.  and  P'rank 
reside  with  their  parents  on  a  farm  clearly  showing  admirable  culture 
and  care. 

Joseph  Bragdon  was  born  Augu-t  10, 1784;  died  Nov.  20. 1819.  By  his 
wife  Abigail,  sister  of  Deacon  Hunting,  he  had  two  sons.  Elbridge  H., 
born  Jan.  7,  1812  and  Enoch  H..  born  Jan.  2.  1814.  Mi.  Jacob  Wheeler 
married  the  widow  Bragdon  who  became  the  mother  of  Joseph  B.  Wheel- 
er Feb.  28,  1823,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Fnincis  Hill  of  Exeter, 
and  to  whom  was  born  Dr.  Leslie  Wheeler,  a  practic.ng  physician  in 
Brewer,  and  Myra  Wheeler,  a  daughter  at  home.  Mr.  Joseph  B.  Wheel- 
er has  many  years  served  as  one  of  the  Selectmen  of  Corinth,  has  been  a 
member  of  our  State  Legislature,  owns  the  farm  once  occupied  by  Gen. 
I.  Hodsdon,  and  has  recently  added  thereto  the  farm  of  the  late  Elijah 
Skinner,  Jr.,  making  a  large  and  desirable  homestead. 

Elbridge  H.  Bragdon  in  early  life  demonstrated  the  practical  energies 
of  the  man,  was  a  mechanic,  farmer,  merchant,  post  master,  and  ad- 
mirably raised  an  interesting  family.  Ora.  liis  oldest,  died  while  in  trade 
in  Boston.  Oressa  S.  resides  in  Boston,  and  for  many  years  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  Department  of  the  Post  Office,  and  while  possessing  the 
strong  native  business  abilities  of  manhood,  nature,,  grace  and  education 
have  given  her  those  pleasing  qualifications  so  much  admired  in  woman- 
hood, Mary  E.  Bragdon,  the  second  daughter,  resides  with  her  father, 
and  devotes  her  energies  in  caring  for  an  only  living  parent  whose  life 
is  seemingly  blended  with  her  own  existence. 

Addie  L.  E.  Bragdon,  the  youngest,  having  studiously  gleaned  knowl- 
edge from  books  found  in  institutions  of  human  teachings,  recently  en- 
tered that  higher  class,  where  Eternity's  readings  are  from  the  Book  of 
Life. 

Enoch  H.  Bragdon,  the  younger  brother  of  Elbridge  H.  Bragdon.  was 
a  man  remarkable  for  his  industry,  and  the  presence  of  the  Hunting 
blood  was  early  apparent.  He  married  Sarah,  the  second  daughter  of 
Elijah  Skinner,  and  the  pleasant  home  they  occupied,  (being  greatly  im- 
proved) was  that  made  by  Mr.  Jacob  Wheeler  for  his  own  residence. 
When  citizens  could  enlist  Mr.  Bragdon  in  any  enterprise,  success  was 
assured.  Mr.  Bragdon  had  four  children,  two  died  during  the  life  of  the 
father,  and  when  he  was  called,  he  was  in  readiness,  sorrowing  only  in 
the  leaving  of  a  wife  and  two  children,  who  are  still  living,  viz.,  Charles, 
the  eldest,  possessing  largely  of  his  father's  qualifications,  a  man  prompt 
in  action  in  all  matters  deemed  by  him  to  be  right ;  and  Emma,  the 
daughter,  the  meek  child  of  sober  thought;  our  world  is  better  for  her 
existence. 

Mr.  Daniel  Skinner,  our  patriarchal  Daniel,  kindred  in  spirit  and  life  to 
the  Chaldean  Daniel,  called  Belshazzar,  was  born  in  Mansfield,  Massa- 
chusetts, June  29,  1744;  died  in  Corinth  in  1841.  During  the  year  1793 
Mr.  Daniel  Skinner  erected  in  township  No.  2  a  cabin  of  large  dimen- 
sions, which  was  long  occupied  by  his  family,  and  wns  at  all  times  the 
welcome  residence  of  the  stranger ;  and  this  home  became  inexpressibly 
dear  to  many.  There  could  perhaps  have  been  found  a  people  who  bet- 
ter understood  the  qualities  of  soil,  and  could  avail  themselves  of  ad- 
vantages with  skill  Infinitely  supeiior,  but  for  puritj'  of  manners,  warmth 
of  affection,  kindness  and  courtesy,  they  home  in  the  humble  residence  of 
the  original  Skinner  family,  from  whose  rough  cabin  the  first  smoke  ever 
rose  among  lofty  elms  and  proud  pineries  of  the  township.    Here  our 


2.7 

])aivnt  Daniel  and  Ins  houseliold  worshipped,  here  the  devotional  prayer 
was  ottered,  and  sweet  the  hymning  of  praise  mingling  wi*h  the  mellow 
tones  of  worshipping  natnre. 

Mr.  Skinner  was  a  christian  and  philanthropist,  and  while  he  loved  his 
township  and  its  people,  he  deemed  the  world  his  country,  and  his  coun- 
trymen all  mankind.  He  lived  the  christian's  life,  he  died  the  chris- 
tian's death.  In  a  file  of  manuscripts  mai'ked  "1841"  was  recently  found 
the  following  lines  purporting  to  have  been  "written  at  the  grave  of  Mr. 
Daniel  Skinner  on  the  day  of  his  burial." 

Take,  bounteous  eaith.  within  thj^  bosom  dear, 

Our  christian  guide,  and  faithful  pioneer; 

Take  the  paternal  heart  beneath  the  soil. 

In  kind  remembrance  of  his  life  long  toil; 

Who  tirst  enriched  and  ornamented  thee, 

With  many  a  shrub  and  ornamental  tree; 

And  lured" the  streams  to  fall  in  artful  showers, 

Upon  thy  thirsty  herbs  and  fainting  flowers. 

First  in  the  Spring  he  taught  the  rose  to  rear. 

First  in  the  Autumn  culled  the  ripened  pear; 

Plis  vines  were  envied  all  the  country  round. 

And  favoring  heaven  showered  plenty  on  his  giound ; 

Therefore,  kind  earth,  reward  him  in  thy  breast. 

With  a  green  covering,  and  an  easy  rest. 

P. 

Asahel  Skinner,  eldest  son  of  Daniel  Skinner,  was  born  in  Massachu- 
setts, August  22,  1771,  and  with  his  father's  family,  moved  into  Corinth 
in  1793.  married  Phebe  Gould  and  lived  in  Corinth  until  about  the  year 
1818,  when  he  left  for  the  State  of  Ohio,  taking  with  him  his  family  of 
thirteen  children.  He  recently  died,  being  the  father  of  twenty-one  chil- 
dren. 

Elijah  Skinner  was  born  Sept.  22.  1779;  died  April  18,  1857.  For  his 
tirst  wife  he  married  Sarah  Fisher,  of  Canton.  Mass.  by  whom  he  had  ten 
children. 

Nathan  F..  the  eldest,  was  born  April  23,  1804,  died  June  29,  1820. 

Nancy,  the  widow  of  Capt.  Ephraim  Whitney,  once  of  Corinth,  now 
of  California,  was  born  May  25,  1806,  and  still  lives. 
Elijah  Skinner,  Jr..  born  May  19,  1809,  died  Feb.  10,  1881. 

Sarah  Skinner  is  now  the  widow  of  the  late  Enoch  H.  Bragdon. 

AlvJn  Skinner  died  January  13,  1861. 

Mary  Skinner  is  the  wife  of  Aaron  French. 

Harriet  Skinner,  deceased. 

Elijah  Skinner  for  his  second  wife  married  Nancy  Budge,  widow  of 
Capt.  James  Budge  of  Bangor,  bj^  whom  he  had  one  child,  George  F. 
Skinner,  who  was  born  Nov.  12. 1829.  and  the  said  George  F.,  and  his  son' 
and  only  child.  Frank  H.  Skinner,  reside  upon  a  portion  of  the  farm  first 
occupied  by  Daniel  Skinner  in  1793. 

George  F.  Skimier  married  Sarah  J.  Deering,  a  practical  seamstress 
and  taxidermist.  Both  father  and  son  are  excellent  farmers  and  or- 
chardists.    Frank  H.  Skinner  married  Eva  M.  Gay  of  Charleston. 

Mason  Skinner,  the  youngest  son  of  Daniel  Skinner,  married  Rebecca 
Batchelder.  They  had  eleven  children,  and  all  deceased  excepting  John  B. 
Skinner,  residing  at  Veazie. 

Isaac  Hodsdon  died  in  Corinth  May  24,  1864. 

Nathan  Hodsdon  died  in  Corinth,  May  3,  1848,  leaving  a  widow  ad- 


28 

vancedin  year?,  yet  retaining  lier  mental  faculties  in  a  wonderful  dejifree. 
His  son  Charles  Hodgdon  is  one  of  Corinth's  merchants. 

Mr.  Enoch  Marshall  and  wife  are  spending  a  very  quiet  life  on  the 
premises  once  the  home  of  Alvin  Skinner.  'J'he  store  once  Skinner's  but 
more  recently  occupied  by  E.  H.  Bragdon  as  store  and  Post  Office  is 
now  unoccupied. 

Mrs.  Comins,  whose  first  husband  was  Alonzo  Batchelder.  manages 
with  nnich  skill  her  homestead  premises,  and  fully  demonstrates  the  fact 
that  if  it  is  not  good  for  man  to  live  alone,  icoman  can. 

Upon  the  pleasant  premises  occupied  by  J.  Bailey  during  his  life,  now 
lives  his  widow,  and  the  youngest  daughter  so  intent  administering 
to  the  wants  of  an  invalid  mother,  that  he  wanting  a  wife  fails  in  obtain- 
ing the  hand  of  Clara. 

Upon  the  bank  opposite  the  plat  of  meadow,  once  the  home  of  a  large 
family  of  beavers,  and  where  in  af  er  time  stood  the  wigwam  of  the  In- 
dian Pierre  Paul,  lives  now  Mr.  Boutell  who,  when  occasion  requires, 
leaves  the  culture  of  his  grounds,  and  plies  the  hammer  of  the  smith. 

Where  stood  sixty  years  ago  the  shop  of  Mr.  Mason  Skinner,  now 
stands  the  large  commodious  shop  of  Mr.  Royal  Sweet,  containing  every 
apparent  requisite  for  the  speedy  manufacture  of  repairs  of  such  articles 
as  a  farming  comnumity  require. 

The  homestead  of  the  late  Richard  Palmer  is  the  residence  of  Charles 
H.  Hodgdon. 

Charles  A.  Robinson  was  born  in  Corinth  in  1837: — in  boyhood  he  was 
an  industrious  gleajier  of  incidents  and  facts,  saw  whatever  came  with- 
in his  observation,  and  in  the  storehouse  of  memory  deposited  what  he 
deemed  might  be  useful  in  coming  manhood,  thus  becoming  self  edu- 
cated. In  early  life  he  served  two  years  in  the  navy,  and  after  the  close 
of  the  war,  settled  in  Corinth,  and  was  and  now  is  engaged  in  stone  cut- 
ting, including  both  rough  and  monumental  work. 

In  1865  he  married  Miss  Louisa  Ide — they  have  no  children.  In  all 
business  matters  he  is  a  practical  man,  and  is  chairman  of  the  Selectmen 
of  his  town. 

Mr.  Albert  Ide  and  Albert  Jr.  reside  in  comfortable  homes  of  their 
own  providing  and  construction,  and  enjoy  that  tranquility  of  mind 
known  only  to  lovers  of  peace, 

Mr.  Samuel  Cressy  died  in  Corinth,  Oct.  30,  1882,  aged  75  years,  leav- 
ing a  widow  and  three  children.  Rev.  Charles  Cressy,  the  son  of  Mr. 
Samuel  Cressy  possessed  more  than  ordinary  abilities  and  became  a 
highly  esteemed  minister  of  the  Methodist  denomination,  and  his  death 
which  occurred  Dec.  21, 1881 ,  at  Hampton,  Iowa,  occasioned  much  sorrow. 
He  was  a  man  of  energy  in  the  pulpit  and  of  pleasing  social  address. 
He  married  Miss  Delia  S.  Robinson,  daughter  of  John  L.  Robinson,  for- 
merly of  Cornith,  who  died  some  months  before  her  husband.  They 
leave  three  children,  a  son  of  fifteen  years  and  two  tiaughters  of  less 
years. 

The  town  road  leading  directly  w  est  from  Corinth  Methodist  meeting 
house,  after  passing  farms  of  J.  B.  Wheeler  and  C.  B.  Bragdon,  leads 
you  to  the  neighborhood  known  as  the  Thomas  Bean  settlement,  and  you 
pass  farms  of  R.  FoUey,  A.  French,  A.  Johnson,  R.  Doe,  H.  Clark,*^  J. 
Hersom  and  O.  Jaqueth. 

These  are  good  farms  and  well  cultivated ;  that  of  Richard  Doe  shows 
the  working  of  the  leaven  in  the  entire  measure  of  Doe  soil,  and  horses 
and  stock  tell  of  excellent  care,  in  this  neighborhood  orchards  are 
excellent. 


29 

Ue  who  ill  boj'hood's  days  had  his  play  ground  amid  the  once  a<*tive 
scenes  of  l)nilding  our  township,  will,  in  his  present  walks  see  the  t*u>\- 
steps  of  decay.  The  dwellin":  of  Doctor  William  Peabody  was  a  small 
low  posted  house  of  one  story,  always  a  busy  house,  being  occupied  as 
the  family  home,  the  store. tlie  tavern  house  and  the  apothecary's  shop, 
for  here  the  Doctor  com()ounded  and  caretully  mixed  his  own  medi- 
cines makin<^  himself  daily  better  acquainted  with,  and  the  elfect«^  of 
every  ino;redient  usnd  and  studiously  attending  to  that  which  many 
a  student  to-day  bestows  scarce  a  thought,  viz..  study. 

The  pleasant  residence  of  the  Oakman  Brothers  was  alternately  the 
honie  of  Lemeul  Tozier,  Royal  Clark,  Mark  Trafton. 

The  home  of  Simon  White  was  the  first  residence  of  Benjamin  Tib- 
betts  afterwards  of  ('.   Hersey. 

The  Lucus  family  live  where  first  lived  Mr.  Abner  Tibbetts.  at  the 
Goodhue  corner,  where  once  a  shop,  store.  Tavern  House,  etc.,  built  b}^ 
Mr.  Robinson  were  in  requisition,  little  now  is  being  accomplished;  near 
this  corner,  on  the  nuid  leading  to  the  Skinner  Settlement,  stands  that 
ancient  mommient  of  times  tender  mercy,  the  house  long  the  home  of 
Mr.  William  Ilannnond  and  his  numerousfamily ;  and  here  lived  Miss  Eliza 
Hammond  who  became  the  wife  of  our  early  school  teacher,  Thomas 
Bean,  aiid  the  fond  mother  of  Edwin  Bean,  now  growing  popular  in  the 
office  of  Sheriff,  and  Doctor  Charles  Bean  of  Chelsea.  Mass.,  still  grow- 
ing to  fleshy  notoriety,  weighing  at  the  time  of  this  writing  450  pounds. 

The  promises  once  occupied  by  Dirk  Fleischman,  afterwards  by  C. 
Bunker,  then  T.  Hersey.  is  now  the  well  managed  farm  of  Isaac  Duren, 
giving  large  crops  of  excellent  hay.  The  adjoining  farm  known  as  the 
Barter  premises  has  been  greatly  iin proved  by  its  present  owner.  Ri<^h- 
ard  Bailey,  and  made  the  pleasant  residence  of  a  verv  industrious  fam- 
ily- 
Here  the  main  road,  which  for  many  miles  is  the  dividing  line  between 
Coiinth  and  Levant,  leaves  said  town  line,  and  runs  wholly  on  lands  of 
Levant  to  Keiiduskeag  Village,  while  the  line  severing  the  two  towns  of 
Corinth  and  Kenduskeag,  is  still  the  road  passing  the  ancient  farm  made 
by  Mr.  Joseph  Stevens,  the  brick  maker,  the  shoe  maker,  and  the 
farmer. 

Mr.  Andrew  G.  Fitz,  the  surveyor,  lives  upon  a  portion  of  said  farm, 
and  Captain  Joseph  Stevens,  eldest  son  of  the  senior  Stevens,  lives  upon 
the  remaining  portion  of  the  original  homestead,  so  divided  as  to  make 
two  valuable  farms,  and  near  the  residence  of  Capt.  Stevens,  lives  his  son 
George,  upon  a  farm  fertile  as  are  all  the  farms  upon  this  road. 

The  large  homestead  of  Eliphalet  Packard  has  at  all  times  been  a  pay- 
ing farm,  the  soil  at  all  times  seemingly  willing  to  loan  its  accumula- 
ting wealth  to  him  seeking  it,  teaching  life's  lessons,  which  were  thus 
demonstrated.  A  neighbor  asks  the  veteran  farmer  for  the  loan  of  a  few 
hundred  dollars. but  he  had  none  on  hand,  the  son  was  short  by  reason  of 
recent  loans,  but  the  daughter,  having  no  husband  to  provide  for,  from 
funds  of  her  own.  happily  loaned  the  amount  desired. 

That  the  farm  where  lived  and  died  Mr.  William  Tibbetts.  is  carefully 
cultivated  by  its  present  owner,  Mr.  Albana  F.  Dodge,  is  manifest  from 
the  liberal  planting  of  trees  upon    the  road  side. 

Mr.  Moses  Mudgett.  having  spent  a  long  life  in  the  faithful  perform- 
ances of  all  life's  duties,  and  finding  his  days  nearly  closed,  gave  to  the 
living  wife  liberally  of  his  personal  property,  bequeathing  to  his  daugh- 
ters to  whom  he  was  greatly  attached, his  real  estate, and  then  quietly  en- 
tered his  homestead  in  his  burial  grounds,   and  quiet  is  his  resting  place. 


^0 

Mr.  (Jharles  Bean,  having  made  an  exchange  of  farms,  and  given  in 
place  of  himself,  Mr.  Ormaii  Eastman,  a  worthy  citizen,  the  exchange  is 
deemed  to  be  no  robbery. 

Mr.  George  Tibbetts  has  been  fortunate  in  procuring  a  very  desirable 
farm;  in  the  lirst  place,  his  early  and  original  purchase  was  judicious, 
and  secondly  the  descent  by  law  of  the  Black  farm  to  the  same  family, 
tlius  making  one  ownership  of  the  two  premises. 

Mr.  Reuben  Goodwin  and  family  live  in  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  fert  le 
premises  long  their  home,  making  such  occasional  additions  thereto  as 
good  husbandry  suggests. 

Here  also  resides  tne  frugal  widow  Jael  Coffin,  remembering  her  sons 
slain  in  battle,  and  gratefully  receiving  the   pension  of   her  government. 

The  farm  of  Benjamin  O.  Budge  is  the  residence  of  most  of  the 
Bodge  family,  who  cultivate  the  farm  in  its  season,  deal  in  purchase  and 
sale  of  live  stock,  and  also  from  their  slaughter  house  send  dressed 
meats  to  the  Boston  markets. 

The  farm  once  occupied  by  Stephen  Barker  and  afterwards  by  A. 
Norton  is  now  the  tidy  home  of  Zimri  McKusick  on  which  good  f(  nces 
and  a  new  and  linely  tinished  dwelling  house  is  just  completed,  and  if 
you  would  see  a  happy  family  ''^ whose  works  praise  them"  call  at  Mr. 
McKusick's. 

Daniel  B.  Dexter  with  his  two  sons  (farmers  and  mechanics)  and  there 
families 'live  upon  the  farm  made  by  Chase  Elden.  near  the  Bridge  cross- 
ing the  Kenduskeag  Stream.  In  its  present  owners,  the  large  farm 
finds  the  industry  and  ability  necessary  for  its  profitable  culture.  The 
widow  of  Chase  Elden  occupies  the  premises  recently  owned  by  the 
Messrs.  Dexters. 

For  many  years  rtow  gone  in  the  dwelling  of  the  Kennie  family  on 
the  '4iorse  back."  a  mother  was  wont  to  give  judicious  instructions  to 
her  children,  who  now  ''rise  up  and  call  her  blessed." 

Mr.  Benjamin  Dyer  venerable  in  years  and  remarkable  for  industry, 
still  cultivates  the  earth,  and  watches  the  heavens,  scanning  the  worlds 
upper  stories,  that  he  may  find  among  the  "fixed  stars,"  some  star  "out 
of  fix,"  against  which  the  straying  comet  may  come  in  contact  and  pro- 
duce a  sinash  up.  Mr.  Dyer  is  well  cared  for  in  the  family  of  his  son 
Martin  F.,  whose  ever  active  wife,  little  regarding  the  old  gentleman's 
prophecy,  wears  now  as  ever  a  cheerful,  happy  face  while  discharging 
her  household,  of  the  duties  of  wife  and  mother. 

Sorrow  has  recently  entered  the  family  of  our  neighbor  James  Brack- 
ett, whose  wife  after  passing  through  much  acute  suffering,has  entered  in- 
to rest.  Mrs.  Brackett  was  the  daughter  of  Capt.  Isaac  Ball,  whose  memory 
was  always  dear  and  whose  household  was  the  abode  of  that  peace  which 
was  so  much  sought  among  our  early  settlers.  Mr.  Brackett  and  family 
have  their  home  with  us  and  when  we  find  those  deserving  more  our  re- 
spect, we  will  make  a  note  of  the  fact,  and  enclose  it  in  (Bracketts). 

The  premises  long  ago  occupied  by  Capt.  Nathan  Herrick,  afterwards 
by  Chase  Elden(the  Potter),  is  now  the  pleasant  residence  of  H.Whittier. 
The  glazed  coating  of  pottery,  being  skillfully  applied  to  the  brick  con- 
stituting the  outer  wall  of  the  house,  gives  it  not  only  a  beautiful  crysta- 
lized  appearance,  but  protects  it  from  devastation  of  time  and  storm. 

The  buildings  recently  destroyed  by  lightning  were  originally  the 
home  of  Benjamin  Ball, Esq.,  but  at  the  time  of  burning  were  owned  and 
occupied  by  Mr.  Clifford  Shores, who  with  commendable  fortitude  is  now 
rebuilding  upon  the  spot  so  hastily  made  desolate  by  lightning-s  touch. 
Mr.  Shores  now  occupies  the  house  of  the  Fuller  family. 


AS  STATS 


31 

The  house  built  by  Mr.  Reubeu  Ball,  and  where  he  Uvecl  during  liisac* 
tive  life,  is  now  the  home  of  Mr.  John  Ilerrick  whose  broad  wing  of, 
Philanthrop}'  gives  kindly  shelter  to  many  needing  protection.  ^ 

Ff>etion  sometimes  assutnes  tiie  garb  of  history,  thus;  a  child  loving; 
'  mU(^  a  medical  man.  and  hearing  her  doctor  was  ill.  exclaimed  "Oh; 
mother.  I  am  sure  he  will  die,  for  hi?  is  a  careless  mun  and  has  probably 
taken  a  portion  of  his  own  medicine  through  mistake. 

The  physician  of  eminence  can  bear  such  an  insinuation,  while  the 
mere  pretender  to  medical  skill  hates  even  the  duck  for  constantly  pro- 
nouncing his  profession. 

The  house  built  by  David  A.  Gove  and  occupied  by  him  as  a  dwelling 
and  Post  Otlice  at  East  Corinth  is  now  the  residence  of  Moses  Goss. 

The  house  erected  by  Heman  S.  Jackson,  and  where  lived  and  died, 
*  H*^nry  K.  Dexter  now  resides  Timothj^  McDonald,  many  years  the  Co^ 
partner  in  trade  of  the  said  Dexter.  Mr.  McDonald  has  at  all  times  sus- 
tained the  reputation  of  a  man  of  sterling  worth,  and  though  we  have  no 
Price  Current  of  such  men  as  were  required  to  save  Sodom.  Yet  Mr. 
McDonald  and  nine  others  of  like  value  would  have  saved  the  doomed 
city  from  destruction. 

The  house  vacated  by  the  recent  death  of  Hon.  John  Thissell.  is  now 
occupied  by  Charles  Thissell  the  only  living  child  of  the  deceased. 

The  house  and  premises  long  since'  built  by  Mr.  John  B.  Nichols  is  the 
residence  of  Mr.  G.  F.  Hill,  who  has  added  much  to  the  beauty  of  build- 
ings and  grounds  since  his  purchase.  Mr.  Hill  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Legislature,  and  a  Deputy  Sheriff  of  his  County. 

Ira  W.  Davis,  Attorney  at  law  resides  in  the  house  of  the  late  Joshua 
Ha wes,  office  in  C.  E.  Edmund's  Block. 

A  few  days  previous  to  the  decease  of  our  esteemed  friend  Mr.  Eph- 
riam  M.  Gerry  he  spake  tenderly  of  the  wife,  the  son  and  the  sons  wife 
and  Wt^  infant  and  said  he  could  not  find  words  fully  expressing  their 
worth. 

The  good  man  has  gone,  and  business  and  sympathy  has  made  us  ac- 
quainted with  those  he  prized  so  much,  and  we  plainly  see  the  impossi- 
bility of  finding  suitable  words  for  an  appropriate  Inventory  of  the  in- 
mates of  his  household. 

Edwin  R.  Bean  owns  and  occupies  the  premises  recently  occupied  by 
Joseph  Hen-ick  and  is  a  Deputy  Sheriff  of  this  County. 

McDonald  and  Savage  occupy  the  store  lately  occupied  by  Dexter  & 
McDonald,  where  they  keep  a  large  and  carefully  selected  stock  of  such 
goods  as  are  wanted  by  farmers  and  mechanics.  Purchasers  say  that 
those  who  buy  at  this  store  buy  safely. 

A.  D.  Drummond  has  purchased  the  Mitchell  place,  once  owned  by 
E.  E.  Bean. 

The  cider  mill,  grist  mill,  saw  mill  and  other  machinery  moved  by  steam 
power,  and  built  by  VV.  \{.  Clark,  are  leased  to  James  Copp,  and  the 
dwelling  house  of  the  saidClark  is  occuipied  by  J.  W.  Junkins. 

That  very  desirable  farm  owned  and  occupied  many  years  since  by  Mr. 
Aaron  Gould,  is  now  the  property  of  the  town,  and  known  as  the  Town 
Farm. 

The  farm  made  and  long  occupied  by  Mr.  William  Gay,  has  now 
passed  by  purchase  into  the  hands  and  become  the  homestead  of  Mr. 
Edwin  A.  Cole. who,  for  honesty  of  purpose,  truthfulness  of  speech,  and 
benevolence  in  action,  demands  what  we  cheerfully  accord  him  viz., 
a  hearty  welcome  to  his  new  home. 


32 

There  have  been  in  town  eleven  suicides — The  first  was  on  May  l")' 
1815,  by  the  drowning  of  Miss  Louisa  Knight,  aged  20  years — in  the 
Croolced  Brook — Mis.s  Knigiit  was  tlie  personitication  of  a  happy  girl 
hood  life  — a  sudden  cloud  appeared  in  t  e  mental  horizon  of  her  brain, 
hiding  from  her  the  presence  of  her  Maker,  and  she,  destroyed  that 
life. 

Should  the  stranger  ask  why  there  are  in  town  at  least  three  energetic 
accomplished,  and  intelligent  unmarried  females,  to  one  unmarried  male 
we  answer,  that  some  years  since  the  young  ladies  resolved  that  their 
good  sense  had  taught  them,  that  to  reject  an  offer  of  mariiage  is  far 
better  than  to  accept  husbands,  who.  in  point  of  intelligence,  are  in  no 
respect  their  equals.  Adding  to  this  the  fact,  that  during  the  War  of  the 
Kebellion,  girls  of  genuine  patriotism  consented  that  tlieir  affianced  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  their  country,  nut  that  they  loved  their  betrothed 
less,  but  their  country  more:,  consequently  Corinth  may  be  regarded  a 
banking  institution  for  the  benetit  of  those  asking  for  safe  matrimonial 
deposits.     Banking  hours  weekly  after  religions  services. 

Mr.  Joshua  Herrick,  one  of  the  four  men  who  commenced  on  one  and 
the  same  day  in  felling  trees  for  the  making  Huntii.g  Settlement,  made 
a  farm  on  which  he  lived  and  died,  the  same  being  now  occupied  by  his 
son ;  Mr.  Herrick  was  a  man  worthy  the  day  in  w  hich  he  lived. 

Mr.  John  Savage  is  the  Agent  of  several  insurance  companies  and 
Trial  Justice  of  Corinth. 

Major  James  Blake  removed  from  Brewer  to  Corinth  in  1818  and  pur- 
chased of  Jonathan  Snow  the  large  farm  so  long  known  as  the  Blake 
farm,  and  owned  it  during  his  life  and  at  his  decease  by  will  passed  to 
Nabby  Blake,  wife  of  the  Major,  and  by  her  and  her  family  occupied 
during  the  life  of  the.  wife,  and  by  her  devised  equally  to  her  tl.ree 
unmarried  daughters  viz.,  Nancy,  Sarah  and  Mary. 

The  farm  made  and  occupied  by  Colonel  Josiah  Morrill  in  Eddy  settle- 
ment is  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Wm.  Blackwell  and  his  two  sons  and  their 
families — the  aged  father  performing  fully  the  labor  of  a  man  of  medium 
years. 

After  the  Ritchie  farm  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  John  Farrar,  it 
received  that  attention  which  made  it  one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  in 
the  vicinity.  Mr.  Farrar  being  himself  a  practical  farmer,  and  with  a 
family  of  eight  sons,  ever  ready  to  give  their  skilled  labor  to  the  stables 
and  cultivated  grounds,  increase  in  yield  in  the  products  of  the  farm,  and 
the  conveniences  of  stables  was  apparent,  while  wife  and  daughter  ever 
looking  well  to  the  ways  of  the  household,  and  eating  never  the  bread  of 
idleness,  made  the  entire  premises  a  happy  and  prosperous  home  for  an 
intelligent  family. 

The  morning  after  the  fire  which  destroyed  the  entire  buildings  of  Mr. 
C.  D.  Chapman,  we  saw  our  friend  Chapman  standing  upon  the  heap  of 
ashes  his  building  had  made — there  was  a  pensive  shade  upon  his  brow, 
but  he  spake  not  a  word — nor  did  we,  but  we  fancied  we  saw  the  ashy 
semblance  of  the  fabulous  bird  which  Mythology  teaches,  when  con- 
sumed, builds  itself  a  nest  from  its  ow^i  ashes.  We  left  our  friend 
seemingly  in  deep  meditation.  Recently  we  called— the  bnil  ings  in 
proud  beauty  were  standing  where  recently  laj-  the  ashes.  Chapman 
had  received  beauty  foi  ashes,  and  his  household  was  happy.  A  Phoenix 
genius  had  accomplished  a  work,  the  glimmer  of  which  we  fancied  we 
saw^  during  his  quiet  meditation  the  morning  after  the  tire. 

When  it  was  announced  that  Mr.  Elijah  S.  Whitney  and  the  entire 
Whitney  family  proposed  removing  to  California,  there   were  citizens 


who  feared  that  such  removal  would  sensibly  effect  the  future  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  Ridge.  To  lose  those  who  had  been  so  effective 
and  active  in  all  good  words  and  works,  was  loshig  much;  but  in  no 
manner  did  it  lesson  the  energy  and  usefulness  of  those  remaining ;  and 
success  following  the  timely  and  prudent  foot  steps  of  those  now  active- 
ly engaged  in  giving  growth  and  character  to  Corinth's  Eastern  bounda- 
ry, shows,  that  at  proper  times,  energy,  though  half  hidden,  comes  forth 
and  takes  her  peace  in  the  world's  grand  workshop. 

That  pleasant  elevation  of  grounds  on  which  stand  the  buildings  of 
Mr.  Bridgham,  Mr.  Bragg  and  Mr.  Mayo,  with  other  buildings  in  process 
of  erection,  when  so  grouped  as  to  form  a  nucleus,  will  demand  the  ad- 
miration of  those  loving  the  blending  of  beauty  with  ulility.  Those 
give  not  only  pleasure  to  the  eye  and  profit  to  owners,  but  aid  in  largely 
filling  our  agricultural  halls  with  flowers  of  native  growth  reared  by 
woman's  dexterous  skill. 

Not  only  in  those  gardens  of  careful  culture  grow  the  '"scentful  nose- 
gay" but  such  growings  are  ever  brewing  a  sweet  fragance  and  odor, that 
ascending,  maketh  glad  that  Being  that  planted  in  the  worlds  first  gar- 
den, the  Tree  of  Knowledge. 

Corinthians, are  to  a  great  extent,  practical  Utilitarians.  They  believe 
with  Jeremy  Bentham.  that  the  value  of  all  institutions  or  pursuits  is  to 
be  tested  by  the  principle  of  utility. 

Go  into  our  families,  and  you  will  find  its  various  members  engaged  in 
that  pursuit  giving  profitableness  to  some  valuable  end. 

At  the  house  of  Mr.  J.  Ames,  the  father  was  manufacturing  a  harness 
for  a  neighbor,  while  two  unmarried  children,  a  son  and  daughter  were 
teaching  our  town  schools.  They  belonged  to  the  society  of  Utilitarians 
and  believed  in  its  principles. 

Mr.  J.  Dunfree  teaching  a  prime  yoke  of  young  oxen  the  use  of  the 
yoke  for  farming  purposes,  utility  whispered  of  a  higher  education  for 
agricultural  premium  purposes,  and  both  oxen  soon  advanced  in  the  al- 
phabet so  far  as  to  know  •'G." 

Most  of  our  thinking  population,  belong  to  this  society.  Mr.  C.  Duren 
when  requested  so  to  do.  makes  our  taxes,  and  when  made,  helps'  pay 
them.  Mr.  Stephen  Worth,  prompted  by  utility,  removed  to  the  farm 
once  the  property  of  Mr.  Thissel,  and  what  was  Worth  performing  on  his 
ancient  homestead,  is  now  of  like  Worth  in  his  present  home.  Our  friend 
Charles  Clark  the  first,  works  well  his  farm,  and  when  utility  demands 
the  ingenius  skill  of  his  handy  work,  lo  !  in  his  shop  his  skill  and  work  are 
hand  in  hand. 

Men  are  of  times  wrongly  named.  The  purest  minded  man  we  ever 
knew  in  Corinth  was  named  Gile.  and  owing  to  that  purity  and  good- 
ness of  heart,  an  Apostle  and  your  historian  and  all  lovers  of  truthful  ut- 
terance knowing  him  well,  say  of  him,  "Behold  an  Israelite  indeed  in 
whom  thei  e  is  no  Guile.'' 

Were  it  not  that  our  footsteps  are  tardy  in  leaving  the  assemblage  of 
those  of  graceful  conversation,  we  would  invite  the  reader  to  call  with 
us  upon  those  we  now  refer  to.  and  with  us  in  social  call  drink  in  those 
words  that  come  with  the  grace  of  utterance — that  come  as  poetry 
comes, that  com?  like  a  timely  birth  from  the  thoughtful  speaker,  musical 
as  the  tones  of  the  heart  giving  it  harmony  of  sound;  to  such  we  would 
gladly  listen  as  in  the  past,  did  not  those  binding  words  prolong  our  stay 
beyond  our  present  purposes,  and  we  should  say  as  did  Eve*  to  Adam, 
"With  thee  conversing,  we  forget  all  time,"  and  thus  offer  forgettulness 
as  an  apology  for  tardiness  in  leaving.     No !  reader,  we  will  not  violate 


34 

the  promise  of  a  hasty  return,  and  though  having  little  to  say,  now  say 
that  little. 

For  more  than  half  a  century  we  have  associated  happily  with  the 
good  citizens  of  our  town  at  public  and  so(;ial  gatherings  and  have 
learned,  that  speech  is  among  the  greatest  gifts  our  Maker  gave  to  man, 
and  that  "always  with  grace"  means  fitness  and  truthfulness. 

With  us,  the  ascending  of  intellect  and  increasing  of  information 
came  as  come  the  hours  of  life,  always  corning,  and  if  our  observations 
are  correct,  our  women  are  far  more  intellectual  than  the  men,  partaking 
largely  of  that  gravity  of  expression  which  sits  gracefully  upon  them, 
enabling  them  to  talk  well  of  novels  and  poetry,  authors  and  literature, 
and  public  institutions,  as  well  as  domestic  duties ;  and  it  can  be  said  of 
them,  and  it  is  noic  spoken,  that  modesty  of  manners,  delicacy  of  feeling, 
sweetness  of  disposition,  unsullied  purity  of  thought,  affectionate  warmth 
of  heart,  moral  worth  and  a  deep  sense  of  religion  are  found  in  the 
women  who  meet  in  our  social  gatherings  in  Corinth. 


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